The Princess & The Protector
by Sweety8587
Summary: It was still kind of hard to believe that he was going out with one of the most desirable girls from school. Then again, it was pretty hard for him to wrap his head around the fact that Inoue Orihime liked him. Complete.
1. Part I

**Originally this is was just going to be a one shot smut piece inspired from Yanni's 'Forbidden Dreams' and kara-lija's fanart 'Breathless' but it ended up taking a life of its own this fic. I ended up wanting to do a series covering Ichigo and Orihime's first date, kiss and time. **

**While writing this fic and re-reading it, something about it still feels a bit off to me but I'm still happy with it. Maybe I just feel off that I'm writing something like this for the first time. Yeah….my first time writing a smut fic. Be kind therefore.**** Don't worry, the smut shall come in later chapters.**

**Lyrics are from Garbage, Prince and Robert Palmer. Amazing songs and amazing lyrics that just clicked.**

**Disclaimer: Because my real name is not Kubo Tite, I do not own Bleach. Thank God too because I would have utterly ruined it! **

**Part I**

The soft scratching of pen on paper was the only sound in the room, occasionally broken by a noise by either occupant as they poured over their assignments. Ichigo scratched his head with the pen as he stared down at the maths problem he was solving. Why did he get the feeling that he was making a mistake?

"Orihime."

She looked up at him, "Yes Kurosaki-kun?"

"I can't figure out if I'm doing this right." He slid his notebook over to her and pointed to where he had solved the question. Ichigo watched her as she went over his calculations. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, her eyes intense as they looked over his work in search for any mistake. How long had it been since they had started going out? Two, three weeks?

_Stroke of luck or gift from God?  
The hand of fate or devil's claws?  
From below or saints above?  
You came to me._

It was still kind of hard to believe that he was going out with one of the most desirable girls from school. Then again, it was pretty hard for him to wrap his head around the fact that Inoue Orihime liked him. He had known that for quite a while, especially since that time in Soul Society after he had defeated Byakuya. While he was slightly slow in these matters, he did not fail to notice the slight hitch in her voice as she thanked him with tears making their way down her cheeks. At that time he didn't know what to say other than 'Thank you, Inoue.'

After they had come back, everything went back to normal. Or what passed for normal in any case. He spent time with his family, tried to finish all the summer homework that they had been given and took care of any random Hollows that decided to show up. But in between all that normality, he couldn't drive the image of Inoue's glistening eyes as she thanked him for staying alive. They haunted his every moment and made his stomach do a weird flip that he knew had nothing to do with what he had eaten.

He would often go on walks to clear his mind but would find himself walking in the direction of her home or the park near her house. He went shopping in the district near her residence and caught her in the same shop as himself a few times. The courage that had often aided him during his fights would completely fail him at those moments and completely flustered he would resort to hiding behind a stack of canned goods. He would simultaneously curse and praise his luck for bumping into her. He just didn't know how to act around her now. What the hell had happened to him…to them?

A couple of times she came across him when he would be fighting a Hollow and she would wait for him to finish before healing him up, if it were required. She would always wave her hands and say that it wasn't necessary but he would insist. She usually did all the talking on the way back, or more appropriately all the nonsensical rambling that she was quite well known for. While she would talk, he would wonder. She didn't act all that differently in front of him except maybe blush a bit more than normal. She treated him the same as every one else around her. Greeted him in the same peppy manner, smiled at him in the same manner except maybe her smile was a bit more warmer, was always by his side in an instant whether he asked for help or not….He needed an outside opinion on this.

He had ran down the list of possible candidates in his mind. Tatsuki was still away in the High School Competetion so she was out. Keigo…he wasn't even going to go there. Mizuiro was not due to be back in another two weeks from Phuket. Rukia was in Soul Society recovering and even if she was here he really wasn't in the mood to get a scolding and a beating. That left Chad and Ishida. He really didn't want to ask the latter but he always was the most perceptive one from all of them and he often presented the best course of action. He really really wanted that.

His suspicions were confirmed after their meeting and his head had spun at the thought. Shinigami and Hollows he could very easily deal with but how should one act in this situation? He had really wanted to bang his head against a hard wall in the vain hope of clearing his head and getting an answer.

_Kinda took me by surprise. I didn't know what to do. I just looked her in her eyes._

Ishida had suggested that maybe he should ask Inoue out on a date and just see where things went from there. Ichigo had turned red and spluttered out that he couldn't do that.

* * *

"_I'm not sure how I feel about her! That would mean that I have feelings for her too!"_

_Ishida replied, "You don't dislike her do you?"_

"_Of course not!"_

"_Then what's the harm in it? In any case, it would make Inoue-san very happy."_

* * *

Ichigo couldn't argue with that particular line of argument, he never could. It was also the mantra he kept repeating in his head when he was making his way over to her house. Though, his walking speed was reducing with every step. It felt almost like he was wearing lead shoes. He never felt this kind of apprehension, even when he was facing off Byakuya or clashing swords with Aizen. He jumped when the Shinigami license on his belt went off. They couldn't have made the sound a bit less alarming?! Just as he arrived on the scene, he found a rare sight. Orihime with her long hair flowing in the wind created by her Shun Shun Rikka was fighting off the Hollow on her own.

* * *

"_Koten Zanshun! I repel thee!"_

_The Hollow screamed out in disbelief as Tsubaki pierced clean through its mask and body. He watched with amusement as she grabbed Tsubaki and pressed him against her cheek in glee. Tsubaki in turn was not pleased and was fighting tooth-and-nail to get out of her tight grasp._

"_Oye Inoue!"_

_She looked up to where he stood, "Ku-Kurosaki-kun!"_

"_Oye woman. Mind letting me go now?!"_

_Obliging Inoue let go of Tsubaki and let him return to her hairpins while she ran up to where Ichigo stood. "What are you doing here Kurosaki-kun?"_

_He held up the license, "Got a message that a Hollow was here. But you already took care of it."_

_She laughed in her usual manner as she sheepishly rubbed the back of her head, "Ehehe well I was going back home after getting my groceri….ah! My groceries!" She ran back to get the fallen bag with Ichigo following her shaking his head. Taaku…It was impossible not to worry about this girl. He helped her put the scattered items back in the bag and took the bag from her as they stood up._

"_I'll walk you back." _

_He was slightly surprised when she accepted his offer rather than doing her usual refusals. She smiled up at him, making him feel strangely warm under his collar and his stomach twist in knots._

_Their walk back to her apartment had been uneventful and comfortable. Inoue chattering away in her usual manner while Ichigo listened away to her tales of aliens, sumo wrestlers and nikuman eating goats that often came to visit her in summer. He wondered bemusedly where she came up with all these ideas. Before long, they had reached their destination. They stood facing each other, Inoue bowed deeply, "Thank you for walking me back home Kurosaki-kun. Mata."_

_She took the grocery bag from his, turned and went up the stairs. "Matei Inoue."_

_She turned and looked at him as he ran a hand through his hair nervously, "I was wondering…are you...doing anything this Saturday?"_

_She blinked and shook her head, "I'm not doing anything."_

_A slight blush came over his face, "I was…hoping…wondering actually…that is…." He pulled out a ticket out of his pocket and held it out for her. She took it with a slightly shaking hand, her gaze more hopeful than he had ever seen. That look made the butterflies in his stomach multiply and he tried to speak past the lump in his throat, "I heard that you wanted to see that movie. You wanna go and see it this Saturday?"_

"_With Kurosaki-kun?" Her face was turning pink as well as she clutched the ticket._

"_Yeah."_

_For that brief moment, Ichigo nearly forgot how to breathe as he waited for her answer. And he wasn't the only one. Inoue stared at him and then at the ticket, then she did something that really confused Ichigo. He raised an eyebrow as she pinched herself in the arm. She yelped slightly at the pain and rubbed the skin and muttered to herself, "Not a dream then."_

_She back at him, her gaze warm and her eyes shining, "I would be more than happy to Kurosaki-kun."_

_He let out a breath in relief and smiled back at her slightly, "I'll meet you outside the theater?"_

_She nodded happily and ran up to her apartment. Ichigo wanted to grin and let out a whoop of delight but he just managed to keep that in check. Instead he settled to walk back home with a small skip in his step. That skip was quickly forgotten when his father's kick came at him from the side._

* * *

Their 'date' had gone well. Inoue had enjoyed the Godzilla movie immensely and on the way back she had wondered if she could possibly re-do her Future-Me project from a mecha to mecha-Godzilla. Ichigo had shaken his head in amusement. 

_She's a craze you'd endorse, she's a powerful force._

* * *

"_Inoue. I'm pretty sure that doesn't count as possible 'Future Me'._

_She had pouted, "Doushite?"_

"_Well I think the teacher meant something that didn't possibly involve robots. Except if you plan on becoming a robotics engineer and make robots. Not turn yourself into robots."_

_Her pout deepened, "But that would be so boring, making normal robots! Ah!"_

_Ichigo turned to her and barely managed to get his arms around her as she crashed into him. Her head was right under his chin and the soft scent of lavenders floated up to his nose. "Inoue?! Are you okay?" _

_She looked up at him, "Gomen Kurosaki-kun! I tripped over that bit of pavement."_

_Her voice trailed off as she realized just how close she was too him. She could feel his arms around her – warm, heavy and comforting on her back. She was very aware of the fact that her own hands were resting on his back – hard muscle rippling underneath her fingertips. Their faces mere inches away from each other as they stared at each other, both scared and excited at their closeness. Ichigo withdrew his arms from her waist, a blush racing over his cheeks as he stepped back._

_Inoue's blush matched his as they stared away from each other, their hearts racing – one with hope, the other with the possibility that stood a hair's breadth away from him. The rest of the walk back was quiet, both of them sneaking glances at each other. This time, Ichigo walked her all the back up to her door rather than at the foot of the building. She hesitated a moment as she opened the door. She turned to him and gave him a shy, warm smile that made his heart do a funny little flop. "Thank you for the movie Kurosaki-kun."_

"_It was nothing. You enjoyed yourself right?"_

_She nodded, "I did."_

_She seemed to hesitate going in, he noticed. She let go of the door knob and stood in front of him. Before he could blink she placed one hand on his shoulder for support and leaned up to kiss him softly on the cheek. Her soft 'Good night' fell on hot ears as did the sound of the door closing._

_Okay…now he had a third option._

* * *

_My little angel from heaven above. Oh I think I'm falling in love._


	2. Part II

**Thank you to all who reviewed. I really appreciate it :) Lyrics by Prince & Garbage. The next chapters are going to get hot. **

**Standard Disclaimer applies. I do not own Bleach. Wish had a share in it though...that way I could earn some serious money... **

**Part II**

Every time he looked at her after their first date, he would get a really warm, fuzzy feeling inside. One that made him want to push the frown away and smile at her. But he had a reputation to keep up so he just barely managed to keep the smile away. But still, he never could help the small smile that flitted across his face when she would look at him and give him a broad smile. The one that made the sun seem more brighter and the rain seem less dark. The smile that was so eerily similar to the one that his mother used to give him.

The same smile that was currently directed at him as she cheerily declared that she was almost done with the snacks. Anxious for his stomach and well being in general he closed the kitchen door behind him and stood next to her.

"What did you make?"

"Sandwiches!"

An innocent enough snack choice. He gazed warily down at them. They looked normal enough. How creative could you get with sandwiches? He picked one up and inspected it carefully. "What did you put in them?"

"Hmm…I think that one is wasabi and peanut butter."

He blanched, that didn't even sound right and put it back down. He pointed to another one, "Cucumbers, honey and red bean paste." His taste buds cringed at the very thought of the combination of tastes.

"And those two?"

"Garlic, onions and chocolate sauce."

And now his stomach roiled. "I think I'll just have some more tea. I don't really feel that hungry right now."

Cheerily she finished the sandwich in her hands, "Okay! I'll put these away until you feel hungry." With such options before him, he doubted he'd feel hungry for the remainder of the duration. He stood by the counter and waited for her to put the food away in the fridge. She pulled the apron off and brushed her skirt, "Lets get back to our homework. We've only got a little more left….what's wrong Kurosaki-kun?"

He was smiling slightly at her, "You've got some chocolate sauce on your face. No, not there. A bit to your left. No not there. Here."

He stood in front of her, his fingers brushing the chocolate off her cheek and popped his fingers into his mouth. She rubbed the spot again, making sure all the chocolate was off and looked up at him. His gaze was intense, focused on her. She flushed slightly and felt slightly antsy at having him look at her like that. His cheeks were turning slightly red as he kept staring at her. She was pretty sure hers were starting to glow a similar shade as well.

_You have got a strange way about ya'... Kinda' crazy but I love you just the same  
because you...Oh, you make me wanna do, Oh everything..._

As soon as he had popped his finger into his mouth, the devil on his left shoulder started making sly suggestions into his ear. Suggestions that made him go red and made his head spin. He stared down at her pouty lips as they parted and pressed together with every word she spoke. They had never looked so appealing to him as they did at that moment. The devil kept urging him to just take her into his arms and to kiss her silly. Concernedly, she raised a hand to his forehead, "Are you feeling sick Kurosaki-kun? You look a bit flushed."

He wouldn't be surprised if he was a bit sick right now. The butterflies in his stomach were having a party, his palms felt sweaty, he couldn't breathe properly and his heart was racing as though he was running the 500 yard dash. He could hear and yet not fully process what she was saying. Though that might have been because he was more focused on the movement of her lips rather than what was coming out of them. "I think you might have a fever, your face is slightly hot." She took a step away from her, "Let me get a thermometer."

He suddenly grasped her wrist and pulled her back towards him. Her gasp fell into his mouth as his lips pressed against hers. His lips exerted a gentle pressure against her half open mouth as one hand held her wrist and the other cupped her cheek. Ichigo had been daydreaming about kissing her so many days now. He had wondered what she tasted like when he watched her eat her lunch. He wondered how soft her lips were when she worried them while solving a particularly tough translation. He wondered how she would feel under his hands as he would hold her.

Her lips were incredibly soft and pliable under his. They offered no resistance to him as he pressed harder, again and again. She let out a soft whimper that seemed to resonate through out his body, her hands clutching at the front of his shirt, bunching the material in her hands. He desperately wanted to taste her, to explore her, to play with her. He opened his mouth slightly, his tongue gently licking her lips, silently asking permission. Again a shudder went through her body as she shyly parted her lips. Her arms slid up around his neck as their tongues coyly brushed against each other.

Ichigo wondered if feeling electrocuted felt like this because he felt as though a bolt of lighting had fell on him and had made every nerve in his body tingle. Anywhere she touched it felt as though his skin was on fire. He pushed further into the warm cavern of her mouth. She tasted like tea and chocolate cake that they had eaten a little while ago. And a faint taste of something he couldn't quite identify. Maybe watermelon but he wasn't sure. In any case, the combination of flavors was intoxicating and made him go deeper for more.

His hands brushed over her long hair and tangled in it. She pulled back slightly but he put his hand at the back of her head and coaxed her back into the kiss. She fell back with a soft sigh, her body complacent under his hands as she willingly followed him. He slanted his mouth over hers again and again, their tongues rubbing against each other playfully as they explored each other. This was so much better than his daydreams, he thought to himself hazily. One hand returned to her lower back and he surprised to find that his one hand spanned her back. Good God…since when she so…petite? And why did that make him feel so much stronger and powerful? It was a heady, intoxicating feeling…

_I get delirious whenever you're near. Lose all self-control._

Orihime's hands were running over his shoulders, feeling his muscles shift and turn under her fingertips as his hands drifted up and down her back. Her hands slowly moved upwards, running her fingers through his hair at the nape of his neck. She could smell his scent and feel him all around her. His hands were a heavy weight on her waist but she relished the heat and weight of them. It felt as though her senses were going into overload being this close to him. She knew just how strong he was which was why the gentleness with which he was handling her made her tremble in his arms. The same hands the wielded a Zampaktou with such raw, potent strength were moved over her as though she was made of the most fragile porcelain. She tangled her hands further into his orange locks, wanting to be even closer to him. She didn't want this moment to end – their first kiss.

That particular thought sent a wave of heat through her and made her go weak in the knees. She clutched desperately at him as though she was drowning and he was the only thing keeping her afloat. She had yearned for this moment for so long and she really didn't think that it would happen. She understood him and his motives better than anyone really grasped. She knew the responsibility that lay on his shoulders and thus knew that he really never thought about having a relationship with a girl. That's why she never said anything and just hoped that maybe he would see her one day. But still, sometimes her emotions got the better of her caution and it would slip out. That's what happened in Soul Society after his fight with Byakuya. She had just been so worried, she couldn't stop the tears from flowing or her worries from surfacing.

When he had asked her out a week ago on the movie date, she had been ecstatic but had remained cautious still. She had suspected that Kurosaki-kun may have figured out that she had feelings for him. At first she had been so anxious and scared that he might ignore her or worse, ask her to not be friends with him anymore. Given that she rarely saw him out of school she tried to convince herself not to be worried and that Kurosaki-kun had not decided to cut her out of his life.

Which was why she was quite surprised to start seeing him in her district. There weren't many orange haired people where she lived and she could tell Ichigo's head from a crowd full of carrot tops. She would catch a glimpse of him while she would be out on her daily walk down to the park and sometimes she saw him in the same grocery store that she went too. In the last case she suspected that it was him because every time she thought that she had seen and would turn around to confirm it, no one would be there. And after that she would have the feeling like she was being watched.

The most surprising part was that if and when she would sense a Hollow nearby and would go towards it, she would already find Ichigo there finishing up his task. And after he would return to his body, he would insist on walking her back no matter how she refused. She wondered often at this change of events and had been very shocked (but elated) when he had asked her out. Hope like she never knew before sprung up in her. Could it be … he had finally seen her?

She had readily accepted once she had established it wasn't a dream. Though it really did seem like one of her dreams…without the flesh eating pandas chasing them. Their date and the days that followed seemed the same as well. It was as though something had changed ever so faintly between them. His gaze would linger on her quite often and a slight smile was often playing on his lips. Rather than hiding behind aisles he would walk up to her and talk to her. They would go to the park, sit on the swings and just talk the time away.

In the course of doing so, she got to see more of him than every before. Underneath the tough exterior that he presented to the world around him, he was still very much a little boy. He was gentle, kind and thoughtful, though he blushed profusely when she said that out loud. He was courageous and always stood up for what was right, though she figured that one out during her trip to Soul Society. And all that just made him even more attractive to her. She wasn't just in love with his bad boy image or his Shinigami/hero side, she was in love with the man behind the sword. The one who wanted to protect a mountain of people just so that no one would feel the same pain that he had felt after loosing his mother to a Hollow.

_I'll strip away your hard veneer and see what I can find._

She let out a soft whine as he pulled back, coaxing her gently into his mouth. She followed willingly and jumped slightly when his teeth caught her tongue and he lightly suckled on it. She couldn't help the soft moan that escaped her as his hands ran up and down her back slowly. It felt as though she was melting from the heat of it all. Her lungs felt as though they were on fire, her legs felt weak and wobbly and her head was spinning like that time when she had spun in circles for five minutes straight had ended up falling to the ground. She brought her hands forward to his face, her fingers framing his face as she ran her tongue over his.

She pulled back with a gasp, her eyes were still closed as he rested his forehead against hers, their breathing ragged as though they had just stopped a hard run. Her grey eyes opened slowly, as though she had been drugged or was waking up from a deep long sleep, and looked into his hazel ones. They were half open and gazing at her with such heat that she felt as though she was on fire. She pressed her fingers to her lips in wonder. Did that just happen? She looked up into his eyes and noted that they had turned two shades darker now and that he looked terribly attractive with that particular look on his face. Even if his cheeks were red.

He looked down at her flushed face, swollen lips and slightly ruffled hair, feeling a surge of affection run through him for this girl who stood in his arms. She was looking up at him in a daze, amazement and desire shining in those clear grey eyes. He felt that he should maybe say sorry for kissing her like that all of a sudden but he couldn't find his tongue as he stared down at the rare beauty in his arms. He knew that she was pretty. He had often thought that, more often in the past few weeks. But looking at her right now, it seemed to hit him in a whole new way just how attractive she was.

They stood like that for a moment in the kitchen, their arms holding them close together letting time pass by them. They jumped apart, faces turning bright red when the loud ringing of the phone resounded through the apartment. Inoue rushed to the phone in the other room, leaving Ichigo standing there in a slight daze.

He jumped once more when the cell phone in his back pocket vibrated, alerting him to the incoming call. He pulled it out and flipped it open, checking the caller.

"Moshi Moshi?"

Inoue placed the received back in its place and sighed. Now how was she supposed to act when she entered the kitchen again? She took a few steps towards the kitchen when the door swung open. Ichigo had his phone pressed against his ear, "Don't worry Yuzu. I'll be home in around 30 minutes. Yeah. Bye."

He closed his phone and put it back in his pocket. He looked at her apologetically, "I've got to go. Some relatives of ours just showed up." Inoue nodded, "I understand." He quickly closed his books and stuck them into his bag. They stared at each other for a moment as they stood at the door, their cheeks slightly pink as their thoughts went back to the kitchen. She nervously played with the hem of her skirt but looked up at him steadily, "I'll see you tomorrow Kurosaki-kun."

His gaze softened as he looked into her eyes, "Yeah." He put one hand under her chin and pressed a soft kiss on her lips. "And call me Ichigo….Orihime."

"O-okay, I-Ichigo."

She leaned against the closed door and pressed her fingertips against her lips. She wondered if maybe she should tell Tatsuki-chan about this new development. She'd think about that once she regained some feeling back in her legs….

_Make a whole new religion. A falling star that you cannot live without,  
and I'll feed your obsession. There'll be nothing but this thing that you'll never doubt._


	3. Part III

**The M rating starts here. Lyrics by Prince, Robert Palmer and U2. **

**Thank you to all who reviewed. I really appreciate it.**

**Text between line's and in italics are flashbacks. **

* * *

**Part III**

Ichigo heaved Zangetsu over his shoulder and watched the Hollow before him disappear. He half wished that he could dispense of it all over again just to make it pay for interrupting his walk with Orihime. The timing of just about everything and everyone around him these days sucked. It seemed that anytime he and Inoue were together and had started to make out, one thing or another would interrupt them. Hollows, his father, the telephone, his father, Kon, the door bell….did he mention his father?

He replaced Zangetsu to its normal perch before making his way back to Inoue. He had left Inoue in a small sheltered area in the park and had asked her to watch over his body while he quickly dealt with the Hollow. She had disagreed at first, wanting to go with him and help him fight.

--

"_I want to fight, Ichi-kun."_

"_I know you do but I'd rather that you stayed here."_

_He placed both hands on her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes, "I don't want you getting hurt Hime."_

_Her eyes softened slightly and she nodded. It was clear that while she didn't like it, she did understand his feelings. She quickly stood up on tiptoes and gave him a quick peck. _

"_Go. I'll wait here."_

_-- _

He really wished that he was better with words. He wanted to explain to her just how important she was to him. He understood the fact that she wanted to fight, she wanted to help him in fighting Hollows but at the same time, he really didn't want her getting hurt. He didn't think that he could be able to bear it if she got hurt while fighting Hollows. But any time he even started to get near that particular topic it was as though his brain promptly forgot how to make coherent sentences. It was frustrating to say the least.

He shunpo'd into the small clearing and came across a sight that left him a bit out of breath. His body was resting against the trunk of a rather large tree and Orihime was curled up against his side, her head resting against his shoulder. He quietly approached her, admiring the sight that she made. Her hair half tumbling over her shoulder, shone in the soft sunlight peeking through the leaves. Her dark, long lashes rested against her cheeks and her soft pink lips were parted slightly, deep breaths passing to and from them. One hand was curled over his chest and the other he could make out holding his hand tightly.

He pressed a tender kiss against her forehead, "Hime….time to get up."

She didn't respond, rather she buried her face further into his neck. Sighing slightly he gently shook her, "Hime, Its time to get up." He fell back in shock when she suddenly sat up with a yell, "I'll save you Usagi-san! Ara…?"

She blinked as she took in her surroundings and the surprised Shinigami staring at her. She sheepishly laughed and rubbed the back of her head, "Just a dream." Ichigo was staring at her apprehensively, wondering just what kind of dream she had been having. Shrugging it off, he helped her up.

Quickly he re-entered his body and stood up with a stretch. She flashed him a brilliant smile as she took his hand and they resumed their walk. As they neared the river side, Orihime let out a small squeal of delight as she saw dragonflies flitting about in the long grass. Gleefully she ran down and chased after them, hoping to catch one. Ichigo smiled as he watched her play like a child and it wasn't long before his gaze drifted from her face to her rather curvaceous figure.

After their last few make-out sessions, both his mind and his hands had started drifting from neutral to dangerous territory. He found himself wondering about her figure at any given time of day or night. Usually it was night. He would wonder about how would she feel under his hands? How would her bare breasts feel like against him? What color were her nipples? And the dreams had been having of late only added fuel to the fire. He had woken up more times than he cared to recall in the middle of the night, sweating and aroused beyond belief.

_There's something about you, baby. It happens all the time.  
Whenever I'm around you, baby,  
I get a dirty mind. It doesn't matter where we are.  
It doesn't matter who's around. It doesn't matter; I just wanna lay ya down._

He tilted his head slightly and admired the view as Orihime suddenly bent down to the ground. Maybe he should ask Orihime to wear jeans more often than skirts. She stood back up, too soon for his liking, and trotted back over to him, her hands tightly clasped together and a huge smile on her face.

"Mitei Mitei Ichi-kun!"

She held her hands out as he leaned forward slightly, wondering what she going to show him. He blinked in surprise as the butterfly brushed by his face before flying away back towards the riverside. Orihime's eyes followed the butterfly, "Sometimes I wish I could be a butterfly. Then I could fly anywhere I want too, smell all the flowers I want and have such pretty wings that everyone would admire."

Orihime as a butterfly….why did that seem oddly fitting to his mind? He stuck his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "Wouldn't you rather be a bird? That way you could fly much farther."

"Ah but if I wanted to be a bird then I'd want to be a penguin!"

He did a double take as her answer. "A penguin? But they can't fly."

"I know. But I think it would be fun to walk the way that they do!"

_How can it be permissible  
she compromise my principle, yeah yeah  
That kind of love is mythical,  
she's anything but typical._

He shook his head with a slight chuckle. Orihime logic. He would never quite properly get the hang of it. By the time that they had gotten back to his house, the sun had turned orange and the sky was ablaze. Ichigo did a quick check around the house. Looked like no one was home for which he was eternally grateful because he did not want to go through another one of his fathers 'I'm-so-proud-of-you' lectures which involved him giving Ichigo praise for picking a big breasted girl for his 'future wife'.

They went up the stairs and into his room quickly. She sat down on his bed, her hands tucked on her lap as he quickly scoured the room for Kon. Not finding the plushie anywhere in the room, Ichigo sat down beside Orihime. He took one of her hands from her lap and held it between his. He noticed detachedly how small her hand was between his.

"About what happened before…"

Orihime shook her head, "You don't have to explain, I understand."

"I want to explain. At least try to." He ran a hand through his hair, making it stand up even more as he searched for the right words. She was looking at him and waiting patiently. "Its just that…what I do is dangerous and anyone…everyone around me could get hurt, one way or another. I just….I just don't…I couldn't stand it if you got hurt. I don't want to see you getting hurt." He kept his eyes trained on their hands as he muttered, "That's why…that's why I asked you not to fight."

His face felt quite hot at that moment as a small part of him congratulated himself on managing to say what he had wanted too. His gaze darted up to hers as he noticed a drop of water fall on their conjoined hands. He started panicking inside when he saw the tears flowing from her eyes. Damn it all! He hadn't meant to make her cry! He opened his mouth to apologize hurriedly but inside fell back to the bed as she tackled him with a hug.

Orihime couldn't help the tears that had come to her eyes at his quiet confession. It was one thing to understand his motives and quite another to actually hear him say them out loud. She felt such a wave of love and warmth for the man-boy in front of her that again, she couldn't help but hug him as hard as she could. She pressed her hand against his cheek before kissing him, pouring into it all the passion that she felt for him at that moment. Ichigo was quick to respond, wrapping his arms around her and eagerly kissed her back.

His hands had started drifting over her back, sending pleasant shocks coursing through her body. She loved the feelings that his hands induced in her, though they had been drifting lower and lower in the past few times they had been together. Not that she was complaining in any manner. Suddenly they drifted even lower and rested on her behind, pressing her pelvis tighter against his. Was that his….?! Her eyes flew open in shock and gazed into his open eyes as well. His eyes seemed to reflect the same shock that she was feeling at the moment. He was about to pull back when she placed both hands on his face and kissed him fiercely. She had been surprised but she wanted this. She had dreamed for far too long and now she wanted to know what the real thing felt like.

_I have kissed honey lips, felt the healing in her fingertips.  
It burned like fire, this burning desire._

Ichigo felt like the wind was knocked out of him with that kiss. Maybe he ought to listen to the little devil voice in his head more often if it meant getting more reactions like this one. For a moment he had been afraid that maybe he had gone too far. But this kiss….it made his mind all hazy, with all his thoughts tattered and floating around brokenly. Her body was now fully on top of him, her legs were pressing against his and her breasts pressing firmly against his chest.

He shifted, pushing her back into the mattress and moving on top of her without breaking contact with her lips. His face flushed as his hands slipped underneath her shirt and caressed the smooth skin it covered. His fingers ran up her back, careful and gentle in their memorization before drifting back down to her behind and cupping it. Orihime shivered slightly and let out a soft whimper that he felt down to his groin. One hand slipped to the front and lay over the slight curve of her stomach, letting it rise and fall with every breath that she took.

Orihime panted softly as his lips pressed against her neck and moved lower towards the collar. His fingers had disappeared under her shirt a while back, and now they drifted up towards her breasts. Her breath caught in her throat in anticipation of his touch and he seemed to notice this. He raised his head to look into her eyes, looking for her permission to take this farther than they had before, his face flushed. Her only response was to blushingly raise both arms over her head.

His head spun as she gave him her permission. It felt as though he was having an out of body experience or was having a dream. He caught hold of her shirt and slowly took it off, giving her the opportunity to change her mind if she wanted but she didn't ask him to stop. She nervously clenched at the bed sheets when what she really wanted to do was to cover herself up. She told her that this was Ichigo and that she really didn't have anything to be nervous about.

Ichigo in turn merely stared at the expanse of silky smooth skin that was exposed before him that many boys and one girl would kill to see. The curve of her waist was more apparent now without the shirt and her breasts were covered with a pale yellow bra with a dark blue thread on the edges. Her hair was spilling around her and the soft light from outside his room made her eyes shimmer like mercury. She really was a princess….no. A goddess, like her namesake.

_She's unavoidable; I'm backed against the wall.  
She gives me feelings like I never felt before.  
I'm breaking promises, she's breaking every law.  
She used to look good to me, but now I find her simply irresistible._

He leaned forward to kiss her and whispered against her lips, "You are so beautiful. My Hime." She wrapped her arms around him in relief, kissing him back fervently. She let out a soft gasp when his cool hands went to her back to fiddle with the bra clasp. He nearly growled as he tried to figure out how to open the damned clasp to the bra. How the hell did she put it on and take it off when it so god damned tricky?! After a few moments of fiddling with the clasp he had managed to open it. He pulled the bra off and moved back to take in the view before him.

Her large breasts were heaving with every breath she took and her coral nipples were puckered and straining upwards. She was….absolutely flawless. He leaned down to taste her and she had to bit her lower lip to keep a moan from spilling out from her. Pleasure whipped through her, culminating in a growing wetness in between her thighs. He continued to suckle on her breasts, alternately licking and sucking at the hardened peaks, emboldened with every moan and whimper she let out.

She desperately wanted to feel his skin against her own. Her hands went down to tug at his shirt. He pulled back and in one swift move, his shirt lay on the floor next to hers. A broken sigh and a groan reverberated in the room when their naked torsos pressed together. Ichigo resumed familiarizing himself with Inoue's body as her hands traced the muscles on his back. With a soft whine she threw one leg over his hips in a desperate bid to soothe the growing ache that she was feeling and suddenly she was glad that she had decided to wear pants today rather than the usual skirt.

Ichigo jumped as her leg wrapped against his thigh and pulled his lower body closer to hers. She moaned his name loudly as their sexes rubbed against each other. He never liked his name more than he did at that moment as it fell from her pink lips. This was so much better than any of his fantasies. It felt as though liquid fire was flowing through his veins and desire threatened to overwhelm his every sense. Her scent surrounded him like a blanket, her hands amplified the desire coursing through his system, her moans and whimpers were driving him crazy, the feeling of her skin against his was beyond any explanation he could put into words and feeling her heat against his….

Experimentally he pressed against her harder and was rewarded by a louder moan and a roll of the hips. God he wanted her so badly….he wanted to just drown in her very essence and he didn't want to be saved. He could stay like this forever, with his lips locked against hers and their hips grinding against each other bringing each other closer to the peak. Her delicate moans were like music to him as they moved against each other, her nipples brushing against his and her hands tangled in his hair. He desperately wanted to reach down and touch her, to feel her liquid heat. But he decided, not today. Right now, he wanted to see if he could make her come just like this.

Orihime couldn't think, the pleasure was too overwhelming. Her vision had becoming slightly blurry, she could only breath in short gasps and she felt like she was going to faint any moment. She couldn't concentrate on anything but the feel of Ichigo all around her. His lips, his hands, his body, his strength - they cocooned her in a blanket of bliss, such that she had never experienced. Her body arching with every move, she could feel her pleasure building with every thrust and she was desperate to get to that peak. A small voice in her head called her wanton but at the moment, she couldn't care less. All she could think off was to get a release for this feeling building inside of her and the only one who could help her get there was Ichigo.

A particularly hard grind in just the right spot had her shivering and gasping for air under him. She thought that she was going to pass out as the edges of her vision blackened slightly. Ichigo had buried his face into neck and was panting brokenly, his breath hot against her flushed skin. He could already feel the uncomfortable stickiness growing in his pants but he really didn't want to move from his very comfortable position on top of Orhime as they both tried to get their breathing back to regular. He managed to pull the blanket over both of them and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

He'd walk her home after they'd had dinner. Until then….

He drifted to sleep as Orihime's fingers gently sifted through his hair.

_She used to look good to me, but now I find her simply irresistible, simply irresistible_

* * *

**Liked it? Loved it? Hated it? Drop a review and make a fangirl happy.**


	4. Part IV

**This was the very first chapter that I had written for this fic. Inspired by kara-ljin's 'Breathless' fanart. Some curse words present. **

**Lyrics by Lonestar, Vast, Faith Hill, Prince, Robert Palmer and Garbage.**

**Part IV **

* * *

She didn't put up any resistance when he placed his hand on her back and pulled her towards him. She wrapped her own arms around his waist as he raised his hand and brushed it over her cheek, the cool metal of the rings on his fingers made a shiver run through her. This was always her favorite part of their dates, even if it did cause havoc with her breathing. But the breathlessness made the experience even more better to her. 

He would walk her back home, she would invite him to come in for a minute, he always agreed. The minute she would close the door behind her, he would bring her closer to him or trap her against the door. He would tease her with feather-light touches on her face and the small strip of exposed skin of her back when her shirt would rise up. She would retaliate by tangling her hands into his spiked hair, massaging the scalp gently or she would slip her hands underneath his shirt and feel his heart pound away under her fingertips. Their lips would meet again and again, sometimes locked in a sweet, long embrace and other times in swift teasing touches.

_The smell of you skin  
the taste of your kiss  
the way you whisper in the dark  
your hair all around me, baby you surround me_

She was already starting to feel a bit light headed and her heartbeat quickened when he ducked down slightly and buried his nose into her hair. Her eyes closed of their own accord as he took in a deep breath and murmured softly into her ear, "You're blushing Hime." She never could stop herself from blushing around him and he often teased her about that, especially in moments like these. She kept her eyes closed as his hand drifted from her cheek down to the curve of her neck and stroked the naked skin gently. She admonished him breathlessly, "Please don't tease." She wasn't quite sure herself if she was referring to what he said or what he was doing.

He ran a hand through her hair with a husky chuckle and pulled her hair to one side, leaving her neck exposed. A deep shudder ran through her body, when his lips descended on the curve of her neck and shoulder. A gentle, shaky sigh fell from her lips as she tilted her head further, granting him further access to the soft skin. "Ichigo….."

Time always seemed to become a paradox in these moments. It seemed to be standing still and rushing by in her head at the same time. Every time his hands or lips caressed her skin, she felt as though she was stuck in a time freeze. But when she would open her eyes, she would see the hands of the clock moving indicating that time was still moving.

His hands kept drifting up and down her back, sometimes darting around the curve of her waist to brush every so lightly under the sides of her breasts before going down to cup her rear. He had been amazed at how small she was, especially her waist when he had placed a hand on her back and had realized his hand covered it. He had often said that he rather liked her waist and it was her best feature. Calloused fingers slipped under the stretchy material of her sweater and traced patterns on her back, sending shots of heat coursing through her body that she felt all the way to her fingertips.

His lips and tongue were still lavishing attention on her neck and she realized that she would have to wear either a turtle neck tomorrow or a scarf if she wanted to avoid questions about the hickey on her neck. Tangling her hands into his hair she pulled him back and pressed her soft lips against his, her tongue shyly enticing him to come out and play. He responded more than willingly and pushed her against the door, stepping in between her legs to press against her intimately. She gasped into his mouth as she felt his angles against her curves making her head spin with delirious pleasure.

She slipped her hands underneath his jacket, pushing it off his shoulders as their kiss turned more passionate. She broke away from him, their breaths intermingling as lips breathed in mere millimeters away from each other. Her mercury eyes gazed up into his dark, hooded hazel ones before they dropped down to his shirt and the line of buttons in her vision. She raised her slightly shaky hands up to the first button and opened it. He didn't make a move, his hands firmly anchored at her hips. As she reached to push the shirt off as well, he raised his hand to hers, stopping her.

Her gaze darted up to his. _We don't have to do this_, the gentle grip and the look in his eyes spoke.

Her eyes spoke back what her lips couldn't. _I want to._ And she pushed the shirt off. Her lips returned to his as her hands traced his muscles lightly. It was an all too familiar path to her, one she had traversed often in the past weeks in the dark of her room or his. His one hand moved up to rest on the back of her neck, massaging lightly as they kissed gently.

He broke away to whisper gruffly, "I think we should get somewhere more comfortable."

She nodded breathless, letting him take her into the bedroom. For a split second she considered picking his shirt and jacket up from the floor but found herself terribly distracted by the view in front of her. Her eyes watched the muscles of his back shift with every step, with fascination and a growing desire. Her fingers twitched slightly, itching to caress his skin and to commit them to memory. This boy…no, this man in front of her aroused such a desire in her that she often felt rather wanton. A heated look from his eyes would leave her out of breath, a touch could leave her pleading for more and a simple kiss would set her on fire.

_I took one look at you and all the things that we could do dance within my head_

As she watched the outside light bounce off his tall, built frame thoughts ran through her head that made her mortified and aroused at the same time. In the last few times they had been together, Ichigo had always focused on pleasuring her. It was his turn to be pleasured now.

Ichigo stood beside the bed and looked down in her clear grey eyes so full of trust and yearning. He raised a hand to her cheek, his thumb gently pressing against her kiss swollen lips. She turned her face further into his caress, her hand coming up to rest on his as her eyes closed slowly. He bent his head down and pressed a tender kiss against her forehead, his lips slowly inching down towards her mouth. A soft sigh brushed against his lips just before they pressed against hers, his hands guiding her onto the bed slowly. She went willingly under his loving guidance, pulling him down with her in the circle of her arms.

He hovered over her lithe frame as they exchanged gentle kisses under the light of the waxing moon. He was slightly surprised when she twisted them so that she was on top of him, her hands holding onto his shoulders for support. Her lips moved away from his and drifted down to his neck, pressing soft kisses until she could feel his pulse. She gently bit down on the pulse point and was rewarded by a sharp gasp. Encouraged, she continued her journey downward, pressing especially tender kisses against any scars that came in the way.

Ichigo's insides felt like they were on fire as desire ran through his system unchecked and untamed. He groaned and his hips thrust up against hers as her lips closed around his nipple and gently suckled on it. His hands went down to her hips, clutching at the material of the long skirt as she continued her tender ministrations on him. He let out a guttural moan as she bit down on his nipple. That felt _so_ fucking good, he couldn't help think in a haze. He just barely noticed her hands shakily making their way down his stomach, brushing against the line of fine hair that disappeared into his jeans.

His eyes flew open and his hand covered hers on the top button of his jeans. "Hime, you really don't have to do this."

Her face was bright red as she looked up at him and pressed her lips against his in an ardent kiss. She brushed his hands away and after a few fumbling tries, managed to unbutton and unzip his jeans. Suddenly Ichigo felt short of breath, his every sense in a state of hyper arousal and completely focused on the girl before him. He moaned into her mouth as her hand tentatively outlined his erection through stiff denim. Gathering courage she hooked her fingers into his jeans and pulled them down as much as she could, the heat in her face growing with the move.

_Close your eyes  
Let me touch you now  
Let me give you something  
That is real_

She broke the kiss and sat back, her gaze focused on his lower body that was now covered only by a pair of cotton boxers. Ichigo on his part was torn between arousal and self-consciousness as he lay there and waited for her to move, the flush on his face deepening to a deep red. She took a deep breath before her hands slipped underneath the elastic and pulled the boxers down with aching slowness, her hands trembling even more than before. She eyes widened as she stared at the cock that was standing up in attention before her.

Her gaze darted up to his nervous one before she gave him a smile that he swore held a slight hint of impiety. His voice caught in his throat as her fingertips explored his girth before wrapping around him. Her small hand gripped him carefully as she moved slowly in an experimental rhythm. He moaned loudly, his head falling back on the pillows as she quickened her pace slightly. He really hadn't a clue what brought this on but at this point, he really didn't care and he hoped to God that Orihime had this feeling more often. His eyes flew open when he felt warmth around his cock and his gaze darted down to meet a sight that nearly drove him over the edge. Her dark ginger hair was spilling over one shoulder as her mouth explored his taste and texture at her leisure and pace, her eyes closed as she concentrated on her task. He grasped the sheets below him in a white knuckled grip as she gave his underside an excruciatingly slow lick before taking him fully into her mouth.

Orihime hadn't originally planned to do this but when she had seen him, touched him – she couldn't help entertain the query that had popped up in her mind regarding what he would taste and feel like. Curious, she pushed her hair to one side and leaned down over him fully to taste him. His groans of pleasure motivated her further and she licked him slowly and tried to take in as much of him as she could. She suddenly felt a weight on her head and her eyes flew open only to lock into his dark eyes. And that sent a shot of heat through her body right down to her wet, aching core.

For a moment they looked at each other before Orihime returned to her pleasant task but this time guided by hand on her head, instructing her on the pace that she should take that would make him come. She goaded him nearer and nearer towards release and he tugged her head away with a broken moan, "Hime, you've gotta stop." He nearly came right there and then as her eyes looked into his, her pace now just a fraction faster. She didn't stop at his warning or when his hips arched off the bed with a harsh grunt as he released into her mouth, never taking her eyes off his face.

Orihime had barely sat back up when she was taken back down by Ichigo's hard kiss as he searched out her tongue. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he swiftly pulled his jeans back up and pressed his weight down on her. He impatiently pulled her shirt and bra off, his mouth moving from her lips to her breasts as they bounced slightly with every movement. She let out a noise that sounded quite a lot like a small squeak when he bit down at the nipple but whimpered when he laved the wound with his tongue. "Ichigo."

_You come on like a drug, I just can't get enough  
I'm like an addict coming at you for a little more  
I never needed anybody like this before._

"Shhh…" Ichigo kissed down her belly, dipping into her belly button along the way and slipped her skirt off, slowly revealing miles and miles of smooth skin. He kept waiting for her to protest but he didn't get it. He wanted to touch her, commit her scent to memory and see what she tasted like and then he would stop. After all, it was only fair that he gave her the same pleasure that she had given him. He leaned into the apex of her thighs and took in a deep breath of the deep, musky smell of her sex. It made his head spin like the time he had taken a shot of whiskey on a dare from Keigo. He hooked his fingers into her panties, looking at her for any signs of protest and again, not receiving any. Slowly he pulled the white lace away from her center, his eyes locked on the apex of her thighs.

The smell of her sex was stronger now that the cotton and lace barrier had been removed. Placing both hands on her thighs, he parted them and leaned forward towards her center. He inhaled deeply, wanting to remember for days to come just how she smelt in this aroused state. She lay still, her hands clutching at the white sheets as she waited for him to move and couldn't help the tiny tremble that went through her body. She wanted him to do something…anything. This silence and wait was making her tense and restless. He looked up into her worry filled eyes. _Am I good enough?_

He dropped a kiss right above her ginger curls. _You're more than what I deserve._

She closed her eyes as his lips moved down and his hands drifted upward with deliberate slothfulness. His kisses were lingering and wet while his touches were flighty and teasing, intent on arousing her even further. She bit down on her lower lip when he tentatively, he brought his lips down on her and began to please her. Her mouth let out a soft wail as her hands tangled into his hair, having gone there with the original intent of pulling him back but were now pushing him, encouraging him to continue. He continued to tease her, his senses completely focused - at the feel of her under his lips, her thighs around his head, her hands in his hair and her voice as she brokenly begged him to stop. "Dame Ichi-Ichigo. Its too…too much."

But he had no intentions of stopping as he continued to please her, having her lifting her hips off the mattress with another wail. Resisting the urge to smirk, he teased her entrance with his fingertips before shallowly entering her slick tunnel. She girt her teeth, not wanting to make too much noise and he noticed that. He made his way back up as his fingers continued their teasing, his lips leaving a sticky trail on their way to her neck. He raised his head up to her ear, "Let me hear you Hime." He emphasized his request with a second finger slowly sliding into her, making her worry her lower lip with her teeth "Don't hold back." He had to bite back a moan of his own at the feeling of her tight heat surrounding his finger. _Shit_. If it felt so good with just his hands, what would feel like when they would actually make love?

_Lovers lost in sweet desire_

She moaned low and long as he entered a second finger into her, his lips returning to her breasts. Her hips moved against his hand on their own, each thrust pushed her closer and closer towards the white light that was filling her vision. She could feel her release building up inside of her, like a coil growing tighter and tighter with every movement. Her breath fell in short pants from her lips, her breasts heaving under his busy lips as they licked, bite, suckled on and around her sensitive peaks and her thighs were quivering with need beneath his long tapered fingers. Ichigo could tell she was close to coming, her thighs were shaking with every thrust and her channel muscles were fluttering maddeningly around his fingers.

She almost sobbed as she felt her release scant inches away and her hips sped up under his fingers. He bit down on her nipple and at the same time, rubbed his thumb against her clit. Hard. Her eyes flew open as her release hit her with the force of a train, stealing away the very breath from her body as her inner muscles clenched tightly against his invading fingers. He pulled back from her breasts to look down at her as she came. Her face was flushed and her breathing heavy, making her ample bosom move with every breath. Her eyes were clear but staring up unfocused at the ceiling as he removed his sticky fingers from her wet center.

Everything slowly came back into focus after a minute and she looked down breathlessly at Ichigo. She felt heat rush to her face when she saw him licking his fingers clean as though he had just finished eating a tasty meal. His eyes were closed as he licked one finger before popping both fingers into his mouth. His eyes opened and locked into her dazed, hungry eyes. He gave her a small smirk as he popped his fingers out of his mouth, "Tasty."

All she could do was blush brightly and pull him up to kiss him as hard and as passionately as she could. Their individual flavors merged and mingled as they engaged in a mindless, slow tongue tangle. She was slightly surprised when she felt him raise the covers up over her. She pulled back, "Aren't you…?"

He pressed a gentle kiss on her button nose, "Not tonight."

Satisfied, she pulled his arm under her head and snuggled up against him fully intent on enjoying the afterglow feeling with him.

_Her loving is so powerful  
It's simply unavoidable  
The trend is irreversible_


	5. Part V

**So while I was writing out this chapter, I kept writing and writing and writing. Then I stopped and said, "Wait…how long has it gotten?" I nearly fell outta my chair when I saw that it had reached 12 pages and I hadn't even finished yet! So the original part five has been broken down into two parts. **

**To all who reviewed…You guys are great! You all made my day! Have some cookies!**

**Not so much smut in this. I'm a bit of a tease….**

**Lyrics by Michelle Branch, Remy Zero, Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram, Aerosmith, Goo Goo Dolls and Christina Aguilera. **

**Part V**

* * *

All too soon, summer vacations had ended and school had started again. It hadn't been that bad of a start all together. Ochinii-Sensei didn't make that big of a fuss over incomplete homework, no one asked any detailed questions about where Ichigo had been and most importantly, every one was supportive of him and Orihime. That is, once they got over their surprise.

* * *

_In a crazy, mixed-up world , I don't care what they're sayin'_

_Chizuru had screamed bloody murder at the orange haired boy before she was promptly silenced by a swift punch from a happy Tatsuki. Keigo cried on the side, Ichigo wasn't sure as to why exactly Keigo was crying – at Ichigo's 'smooth skills' or the fact that Inoue was no longer available, but in either case Keigo was being his usual self. Chad merely gave him a thumbs up, Ishida was giving him a look that clearly said that he was the mastermind behind their hook-up. Ichigo had to grudgingly admit that were it not for Ishida's advice, most likely he and Inoue would not be together. Mizuiro was the only person to straight out congratulate him and Inoue and wish them luck. The girls…last he checked, they were still in a state of shock over the course of events._

* * *

At least the reactions at school were far better than the ones he had gotten at home. A few days after their kiss, Inoue had convinced him to invite her to his house for dinner. Ichigo wished that he hadn't listened to Orihime when she had said that everything would go by normally. Obviously she didn't know his crazy father.

* * *

_"__I'm going out with Orihime."_

_____There was complete and utter silence at the table. Three pairs of shocked and incredulous eyes were trained at the blushing couple sitting in front of them. The first one to break the silence was Karin, "Did…you just say that…you and…Orihime…are seeing each other?"_

_____"__That's what I said."_

_________Again silence. Ichigo's embarrassment was starting to melt in annoyance. What the hell? What was up with this reaction?_

___________Isshin suddenly stood up, knocking his chair over as he exclaimed in joy, "I'm so proud of you my son! You picked a fine woman to be the future mother of your children! I'm so glad that you aren't gay, which I was starting to think you were given your complete lack of interest in having a girlfriend."_

_____________And now he was neck deep in embarrassment. Orihime was visibly flustered as her eyes were darting around the room as Isshin continued on, "I can already see their children! Kaa-san! Our boy has finally become a man! And with such fine taste! She has the biggest pair of breasts that I've…ack!"_

_______________Isshin was stopped mid-sentence by a severely peeved Ichigo. Isshin jumped back up and the usual father-son scuffle ensued, leaving the three females to stare at each other._

_________________Orihime was going to jump up and try to stop the fight but was stopped by Karin, "Don't worry about that. It's normal. It'll be over in a few minutes. So…you and Ichi-nii huh?" At the auburn haired girls nod, she couldn't help mutter to herself, "Never thought the day'd come."_

___________________That comment fell on the wrong pair of ears at the wrong time. Ichigo stood behind Karin as he asked darkly, "And what is that supposed to mean?"_

_____________________Karin calmly looked back up at him, "Just never thought that a guy like you'd be able to get a girl like Orihime."_

_______________________A vein popped out on his forehead, "A guy like me?"_

_________________________Their conversation was interrupted by a loud sniff from the side. They turned their gaze to Yuzu who was staring at Ichigo as though he had run over her dog. Surprised and a tad worried he leant in closer, "Yuzu? Whats...Oye?!"_

___________________________He nearly fell back when she suddenly tackled him with a wail, "This means you'll be leaving us soon!"_

___________________________"__I don't plan on doing that any time in the next few years!"_

_______________________________But his yell fell on deaf ears, as Yuzu wailed on, "Who will cheer me up when I'm feeling down? Who'll take me down to the park for ice cream during summer vacations?! After you're gone the house is going to be too quiet! I'm going to miss you soo much onii-chan! I'll come by and visit you every day to make sure that you both are eating right! I'll even bring you the beef stew that you really like! I'll even help you settle in! Oh please don't leave us onii-chan!"_

_________________________________If his hands hadn't been holding up his little sister, he would have been hiding his face in them right about now. He settled for patting Yuzu gently on the back as he tried to get her to settle down. Isshin was happily plastered against the poster on the wall as he raved on and on about 'his future daughter-in-law' and Karin, the one ally he thought he had was still staring at Orihime as though she couldn't quite believe her eyes._

___________________________________Orihime on her part was now smiling serenely as she took in the family's behavior. She pulled a hand up to her face to stifle her giggles as she looked at Ichigo. "You've got such an amazing family Ichi-kun."_

_____________________________________He begged to differ._

* * *

Other than Keigo's usual antics and Chiziru's death threats every few hours, it was all in all, a reaction that he could easily handle. Things had been going fine but then, Hirako had shown up only to confirm Ichigo's darkest fears. He did have a Hollow inside of him, haunting his every thought and waiting to exploit any opening Ichigo might present to it. The thought of having a creature like that slumbering…no, lying in wait inside of him made him want to crawl out of flesh in disgust and fear.

_______________________________________I feel the waves crash down inside  
and they pull me under_

And then things had gone from bad to worse when those Arrancar had arrived. It was bad enough that Yammy had sucked the life out of so many of the Karakura residents but the image that haunted him night after night, was seeing Inoue getting smacked right in her face by the brutes hand. In his dreams the scene would play out slower, he could see her leave Chad's side as though she was moving through molasses. He would yell out to her not to come closer but she still would.

And then, the moment of impact. The sound of flesh hitting flesh would echo in his head like he was standing right next to a church bell. It was deafening. He wanted to raise his hands to his ears to block the sound but his arms were hanging by his side, useless. Like a limp rag doll her body would go flying through her air and hit the dirt, rolling over to come to a rest on her side. Then she would stand up shakily, her bloodied, bruised face turning towards him, as Yammy held his face between his fingers. "Why Ichigo? Why did you let them hurt me?"

He would usually wake up at this point in a cold sweat, his heart frantically pounding against his ribs and his breathing shallow and rapid. He would curse his Hollow then, curse himself for his weakness and inability to protect her. The only good thing that had come out of the whole ordeal was that Rukia and the others were now here and keeping an eye on things, which took a good deal of pressure off him. And the fact that Rukia forcing him to 'apologize' to Inoue was also one of the good points, along with helping him get back on his feet again. But did the former really count given that he had already done that using slightly different words?

* * *

_______________________________________"__Please don't apologize Ichi-kun."_

___________________________________________Her uninjured hand went up to press against his cheek gently. He was fighting back tears of anger and shame as he looked down at her bandaged form. This was his God damned fault! What kind of a person lets this happen?! He was utterly useless! She didn't deserve this…Why couldn't she just get angry at him, yell at him and get it over with? Anger he could deal with but he couldn't deal with this. And how could he not apologize? All he could do right at this moment was to apologize profusely for his lack of strength and inability to protect the girl he was falling in love with._

_____________________________________________Broken back to the ceiling, broken nose to the floor.  
I scream at the sounds, it's coming, crawls under the door_

_______________________________________________She tugged slightly at his collar to get his wandering attention back at her words, "There's nothing to blame you for. I ran to you on my own. I got injured on my own. It wasn't your fault."_

_________________________________________________He pressed his hand on top of hers, as he softly spoke, "But it is. You got hurt and I couldn't stop it."_

___________________________________________________A gentle smile passed over her lips, "You can't stop every wound I could have now can you?"_

_____________________________________________________A tad childishly he replied back, "I can damn well try."_

_______________________________________________________He kept avoiding her eyes, afraid to see anger and resentment in them. But they darted up to hers in surprise when she suddenly tweaked his nose. She giggled slightly before she tugged him down on the futon beside her. He slipped in under the blanket next to her warm body, wrapping his arms around her carefully, ever mindful of her injuries. He looked into her eyes, searching for any negative emotion that she might feel towards him – anger, repulsion, hate. She gazed right back at him, her eyes as warm as ever with a hint of puzzlement lurking in the back. "Ichi-kun?"_

_________________________________________________________He shook his head in relief, "Its nothing." She didn't hate him and that sent a wave of relief through him. She was half draped over his chest, her head resting over his heart and her heavily bandaged hand was resting over his stomach. He gazed down at the white cast, resting his hand over it, his mind filled with guilt and regret. She seemed to sense his distress and murmured, "It wasn't your fault Ichi-kun." He pressed a kiss to her bandaged forehead, "Orihime."_

___________________________________________________________She sleepily replied back, "Yes?"_

___________________________________________________________"__I'm sorry about Tsubaki."_

_______________________________________________________________She didn't reply, instead curled up tighter against him. He could feel her warm tears against his neck, flowing down into his shirt. He held her tighter as she brokenly admitted, "I couldn't find even one shard of him…Not even one…"_

_________________________________________________________________He really didn't know what to say and instead held her as her sobs ebbed away into hiccups and her breathing evened out. Tired and worn out due to her emotional and physical injuries, she finally drifted off to sleep. Ichigo wiped away the remaining stray tears and their tracks as slipped away into healing sleep. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and whispered, "I swear that I won't let you get hurt again."_

* * *

He fully intended to keep that promise till the day he died. The next person or being to hurt her in any manner was going to have their head ripped off and be used as a soccer ball by him. Not that he voiced that particular sentiment in front of Orihime. Though he had threatened Hirako in a similar vein and that had yielded good results.

All things considered, it had been a particularly hectic start to the new semester. His mind had been preoccupied with Hollows, Viazards and insanely strong enemies when Hitsugaya's group had ended up crashing in his class. He told himself that he had had a lot on his plate so he was not to be blamed for forgetting to tell Rukia and the others that Orihime was his girlfriend now. In hindsight, he really should have told Rukia sooner. That would have resulted in less embarrassment.

* * *

_________________________________________________________________Once the last bell had rung, Rukia and the others had said that they needed to visit Urahara regarding the nature of their visit. That suited Ichigo just fine because that meant at least an hour that he could enjoy alone with Orihime. And enjoying it he was._

___________________________________________________________________Ichigo was sitting on the bed with Orihime comfortably settled in his lap, her unhurt hand playing with the hem of his collar. Ichigo's own hands were settled at her hips, holding her in place as he proceeded to ravish her with his lips. They kissed slowly, their bodies shifting closer as their tongues danced together from one cavern to the other. She let out a soft sound of pleasure and shifted herself closer to him, her hand unbuttoning the top buttons of his shirt to play over the newly revealed skin. Ichigo could feel the beginning of arousal start to stir in him._

_____________________________________________________________________His hands drifted upwards, quickly doing away with the red tie and undoing the first few buttons of her shirt. His hands lingered on her breasts, caressing them fondly through the material as his lips latched onto her neck. Her head fell back with a soft, heady moan as her hand gripped his shirt. He pulled back to watch her as he played with her rather generous bosom. His fingertips were tracing the underside of her breasts, slowly moving upward towards the tips that were showing. Her eyes were closed as pleasure washed over her, her cheeks flushed a rosy pink and her lips parted as she panted softly. When his hand finally cupped both breasts she let out another moan._

_____________________________________________________________________"__Yo Ichigo! Did you miss...What the hell?!"_

_________________________________________________________________________Orihime let out a surprised squeak and nearly jumped out of Ichigo's lap, but his firm grip on her waist kept her in his lap as he buried his face in the crook of her neck with an inward groan. Absolutely perfect timing! Why couldn't those idiots at least knock before entering?! The way they barged it, it was like it was their room rather than his. Whatever happened to manners and civility?_

___________________________________________________________________________With a sigh he turned towards his window with a deep frown and flush. Five Shinigami were perched at the window, holding the curtain back and staring at the couple in front of them. One was unconcerned with the scene before him and more preoccupied with getting comfortable in his new uniform, his friend next to him seemed mildly interested in the love scene and the other three…had their jaws dragging along the floor._

___________________________________________________________________________"__Oye. Whats the hold up?"_

_______________________________________________________________________________Ikkaku turned to the white haired captain, "I think Renji, Kuchiki and Matsomoto've gone into shock."_

_________________________________________________________________________________A white eyebrow was raised slowly; turquoise eyes filled with skepticism "Should I ask why?"_

___________________________________________________________________________________Yumichika moved out of the way obligingly and pointed in. Hitsugaya leaned in to have a look._

___________________________________________________________________________________Ichigo was glaring at the expected but not wholly welcome visitors hovering on his window while Orihime had her face hidden against Ichigo's shirt. From the flush on both their faces and their unbuttoned shirts, it wasn't that hard to understand what the two had been doing prior to the interruption. Hitsugaya's face flushed slightly before stating loudly, "Either get in or move out of the way Matsomoto."_

_____________________________________________________________________________________That seemed to snap not only Matsomoto out of her daze but also Rukia who immediately jumped in and gave Ichigo a swift, hard slap on the head, "Dumbass! Why didn't you tell me earlier that Orihime's your girlfriend?!"_

_______________________________________________________________________________________Ichigo rubbed his abused head, "I forgot! Plus, how do you expect me to tell you when you're literally dragging me along everywhere?!"_

_________________________________________________________________________________________And that's when the Spanish Inquisition started._

___________________________________________________________________________________________Chief interrogators: Kuchiki Rukia and Matsomoto Rangiku._

_____________________________________________________________________________________________Witnesses: Abarai Renji, Madarame Ikkaku and Ayasegawa__Yumichika_

_______________________________________________________________________________________________Hitsugaya Toushirou…contemplated if he could get away with murder as he tried to keep his anger in check. For the record, he didn't succeed._

_________________________________________________________________________________________________Then again, neither did Ichigo._

* * *

To be honest, Ichigo had been quite grateful for the presence of Hitsugaya's team. He had felt that no matter what Aizen might throw at them, they'd be able to deal with it. Of course this was prior to his introduction with Grimmjow. That fight made him realize two things: the difference in level between him and the Espada was far more than he had initially thought it to be and he had to get control over his Hollow, right away. The severity of the situation had him search out the Vizards the very next day. The sooner he got his Hollow under control the better off the people around him would be.

He hadn't told anyone. He preferred it that way, even if it hurt not telling Orhime the whole truth about where he was going. He had slipped a short note under her door before he had embarked on his trip, explaining that he wasn't going to be coming to school for the coming days. Most likely he wouldn't be able to see her, though he would try to come visit if he got a chance. And lastly, he asked her not to worry or look for him. He was now wholly focused on increasing his strength, to protect his loved ones and to honor his vow to Orihime.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________I know you had to go away, I died just a little_

Orihime hadn't liked what she had read but she knew that this was something that he had to do on his own and thus, respected his wishes. That month was one of the longest that Orihime had ever lived through. She hadn't really realized just how much time she spent with Ichigo until she wasn't spending it with him. She missed him terribly. She missed hearing him tell her that what she was about to eat would be called inedible in most circles. She missed his hot breath as it fluttered over her lips after a particularly hot kiss. She missed seeing that look in his eyes which clearly said that he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. She missed the weight of his hand on her lower back as he would hold her.

She often visited his family, who were in varying states of distress over Ichigo's sudden disappearance. Karin seemed mildly affected stating in her usual manner, "Ichi-nii'll show up sooner or later. And when he does, I hope he's got a damn good explanation for this!" Their father seemed unconcerned as well. That was, until Yuzu would start crying in worry. That was when he would start swearing that he would find his son and make him pay for making his sister cry. Visiting them helped her, made her feel less alone. She would end up having dinner with the family, forgetting her problems for that brief time as she would watch the family interact. But it seemed incomplete without Ichigo there.

Rukia had taken her aside the very next day after Ichigo's disappearance and quietly asked her if she knew anything. Orihime had merely shaken her head and stated, "I just know that Ichi-kun is training somewhere. That's all he told me in his note." Rukia had muttered worriedly under her breath at that and Orihime wondered if she could not sense Ichigo's reiatsu. Often when she feeling lonely or missing Ichigo, she would concentrate hard and would be able to faintly sense him. He was a good distance away but his reiatsu was strong and steady, that gave her some semblance of peace.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby,  
It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky_

All those nights of searching out for him paid off when she had to seek him out in a hurry to deliver the Commander-General's orders. She managed to find him and wondered on the way if this was what bloodhounds felt like during a chase. Oh, would that make her part bloodhound if she was able to track down Ichi-kun in this manner? That would be quite an exciting prospect, especially having a tail. Though she wasn't too keen on all the droopy skin but still, she'd have a nice long tail to wag and to put a bow on. But then wearing pants would be quite difficult…and how would she managed to keep her skirt down properly. Maybe if she cut a whole in each one from where the tail could be slipped out of… and what about her underwear?!

In between her inner ramblings, she had arrived at the factory. She managed to slip in, despite the barrier set around the imposing structure. In hindsight, maybe she should knocked or something to make sure that the inhabitants wouldn't be too surprised at the intrusion. Instead she had settled for making a nervous joke before meeting up with Ichigo. He was more shocked and surprised to see her rather than at the news that she delivered. She had stared up at him in slight confusion at his faint reaction.

* * *

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________Ichigo tapped his cheek lightly, "I guess this whole King's Key thing hasn't really sunk in yet."_

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________She smiled slightly. He already had gotten stronger. He didn't seem fazed by this update as he was more focused on achieving a new level of strength that he knew he could achieve. It didn't matter who the enemy was or what they planned to do, all that mattered to Ichigo at present was to increase his strength._

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________He stood up, pulling her up on her feet as well "Don't look so worried. It's okay. I'll stop Aizen. I can become even stronger. I realize that now. Thanks for coming to tell me Hime."_

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________She waved her hands in front of her, "It was nothing really."_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________He suddenly did a quick turn to check if anyone was around them before he wrapped his arms around her. He let out a soft sigh at the familiar feel of her in his arm and rested his head atop hers. He breathed in the soft scent of freesia and lavenders coming up from long hair "I missed you."_

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________She hugged him tighter, her fists tightly holding onto the fabric of his haori. "I missed you too." She wrinkled her nose and took a short step back with a short laugh, "You smell all sweaty."_

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________He rolled his eyes slightly at her obvious comment, "Cut me some slack. I've been fighting all damn day. And that Hiyori kept going all out on me."_

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________"__Maybe this will cheer you up then."_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________She placed both hands on his face and kissed him with a month's worth of pent up passion and longing. His hands rested on her rear, pushing her closer to him as they stumbled back against a large boulder. He tangled his hands into her long, silky hair as he tenderly suckled on her lower lip. Oh God how she had missed this. Only his touch could ignite this burning within her belly. Her arms went up to his shoulders, bringing him closer to her as she brushed her tongue against his._

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I just wanna hold you close, Feel your heart so close to mine.  
And stay here in this moment, For all the rest of time_

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________She moaned breathlessly and shifted her hips against his, sending a jolt of electricity through his body. He forgot where he was at times like these and all he could focus on was her and the feelings she invoked in him. He dropped down, pulling her down with him. She followed without question, her legs straddling his body as their lips continued their dance._

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________He placed his hands on her hips and pushed her down against him firmly. She couldn't stop the sharp gasp that came from her at the feeling of their centers pressed together so firmly. She rolled her hips, eliciting a low moan from her partner below her. She looked down at him with stormy eyes, taking in his warm gaze as he looked up at her. She loved him. She smiled warmly at him and was not aware that his thoughts were following a similar path._

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________She looked so beautiful when she smiled like that, he thought to himself. He felt that he could go on forever living just on the warmth and brilliance of that smile. He had suspected from a few months that he might be falling in love with her but he didn't know how to be sure of his feelings. He just knew that whenever he looked into her eyes, filled with such childlike innocence and womanly grace, he wanted to fall down to his knees and thank God for her. He was happy when he would see her happy. He would want to kick the living daylights out of whichever idiot that would make a frown appear on her lips or a tear flow from her eyes. He wanted to spend his life getting to know her inside out._

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________But right now, as she pressed her heat down against his groin, all he wanted was to push her panties to the side and bury himself in he..._

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________"__Oye dickhead! Its time to get…Oye Shinji!"_

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Fantasy and pleasant activity broken by the loud voice, Ichigo opened his eyes to stare into Orihime's confused stormy eyes. Both of them looked up at the blonde haired Vaizard who continued speaking to the man on the other side of boulder. Her voice held barely repressed glee as she spoke._

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________"__Looks like your first love, already has a lover."_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________"__WHAT?! Orihime-chan and Ichigo?! That ain't possible!!"_

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Ichigo swore under his breath as Orihime jumped up like a shot. He had forgotten those idiots…_

* * *

Orihime had left the factory only to bump into Yoruichi-san, who in turn informed her that Urahara had wanted to speak with her. Wondering why she had quickly made her way to the shop. She had really wished that she hadn't gone in the end. Urahara-san's blunt words kept ringing in her ears as she climbed back into the shop from the rocky training area.

"Inoue-san, I'd prefer you stay away from the battlefield this time."

"Do you want to get Inoue-san killed?"

"Her Santen Kisshun probably won't be of any use this time around."

"The hole left by Inoue-san's absence can easily be filled by people with far superior abilities."

"A warrior who has lost their ability to fight is only going to be in the way."

She had felt the tears build up just as he had finished and had quickly excused herself, she didn't want to cry in front of them…in front of him. It would just further strengthen his statement that she wasn't cut out for the battlefield. She wouldn't cry….She wouldn't cry….She didn't want to show in front of him just how much those words hurt.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Cry, Don't cry out loud  
You've gotta bear your cross_

She nearly crashed into Rukia during her hasty exit. Rukia had been extremely flustered when Orihime had started crying right in front of her and had resorted to taking her away from the shop to the school rooftop. Once Orihime had calmed down, she told Rukia about what Urahara had said. Rukia was irate with the former Captain by the time Orihime had finished her tale and it was apparent from the look in her eyes that the next time she saw the store owner, he would hit in the face with her phone. Or possibly something heavier if it was within her reach. Orihime had felt better after talking to Rukia, feeling calmer and starting to understand Urahara-san's perspective. Rukia did not react well to that and had grabbed her, harshly asking if she was really alright with the way things were going. She replied truthfully that of course she wasn't.

All she wanted was to fight beside her friends and her love to protect the city that she had grown up in. Ever since she had received her powers, she didn't want to be a Princess who was kept locked away inside the castle. She didn't want to be protected by the dragon or by an army of knights or even a single knight. She wanted to take up the sword with her own hands and protect not only herself but the people around her. So of course she didn't like being told that not only was she useless but also in the way. That was just too much for her to bear. But…if that was the way Urahara-san and the others saw her, then she would isolate herself from the others. Being lonesome was something she could deal with, but being a burden….that was something she could not cope with.

Rukia's expression shifted from anger to tenderness as Orihime gave her quiet explanation. Rukia gentle words gave her hope again and calmed the storm that was wrecking havoc inside of her. She had needed someone to tell that there would be something that Orihime could do during the war. Her heart felt light again knowing that she would no longer be a burden and actually help out her friends in some way. The moment was completely and utterly ruined when Hiyori-chan literally dropped out of the sky in a blue blaze, grabbed Orihime and left in the same manner, leaving behind one very confused and severely shell-shocked Shinigami. And a rather sizable depression in the tiles that raised quite a few questions the next morn.

Her meeting with Hacchi-san went much better than the one with Urahara-san, though the entrance had been quite painful. She ended up knowing just a little bit more about her powers, a slight neck ache and best of all, managed to get Tsubaki back as well. As she was leaving, she wondered if she could ask Hiyori-chan to give Ichigo a bit of a break so that she could talk to him. But maybe she would be pushing her luck given that she had already done that today. Plus, did she really want to burden Ichi-kun with her problems when he was focusing on his training?

That really didn't sit well with her. Giving Hacchi-san her repeated thanks, she left the warehouse and made her way back to her apartment.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Young girl it's alright  
Your tears will dry, you'll soon be free to fly  
_

* * *

**Drop me a review, tell me what you thought about it. Make me a happy happy fangirl. Next update shall be in two days, if all goes according to plan.**


	6. Part VI

**An important point before we start the chapter. The style in which this fic is written was inspired by the ever so amazing Tango's "Filling in the Blanks". One of my more favorite Buffy/Angel stories.****  
**

**I am pleased, proud and a bit sad to announce that I have managed to complete this fic. First time I've completed a fic so I'm terribly pleased and proud of myself. But I'm sad because this was such a joy to write. **

**To all who reviewed, I thank you so much! Each of the reviews gets me smiling! **

**Lyrics by Garbage, Prince, Robert Palmer and Eve9.**

**Two more parts to go.**

**Part VI **

* * *

"Orihime, we'll be back in a couple of hours so don't wait up for us." 

Orihime nodded at the extremely cheerful strawberry blonde and the irate white haired boy standing next to her. Orihime wasn't all too sure on the details but somehow Rangiku-san had managed to convince her Taichou to take her out shopping and sight seeing around the city. Hitsugaya-kun was obviously trying to figure out how he had gotten conned into being a travel companion for his Lieutenant.

He sighed in a resigned manner as he opened the front door, "Come on Matsomoto." The sooner this starts, the sooner it'll end, he told himself.

Rangiku-san happily chirped back, "Right behind you Taichou! Ara!"

They both looked in surprise at the lanky figure making its way towards them. Ichigo blinked in surprise at the pair, "Toushirou, Rangiku-san…Where are you going at this hour?"

"Its Hitsugaya-taichou for you."

"Shopping and sight seeing!"

Ichigo seemed to ignore the first statement and focused on what Rangiku-san had said, "Sight seeing? Right now?" At the merry affirmative he couldn't help but wonder why Soul Society didn't have a mandatory training course for Shinigami who were coming down to the real world. They really ought to have better knowledge of the real world, especially regarding which behaviors was normal and which weren't. And that especially applied to the mod souls. Honestly, whoever thought up that Chappy soul candy clearly didn't have a clue…

All three gazes shifted back towards the doorway when Orihime loudly called out for the young captain. She stopped in surprise at seeing Ichigo standing in front of her but shook her head and moved forward towards Hitsugaya, holding out a jacket.

"You'd better take this with you Toshirou-kun. It gets a bit chilly at night."

"Arigatou. Well, let's go Matsomoto."

As they started making their trek to the nearest shopping district, Hitsugaya spoke up, "After we're done, we'll drop our gigai off at Urahara's before we do a sweep of the city."

Matsomoto blinked in surprise. Now why would….ooooh. A grin made its way across her face as she hugged the young captain. "Taichou! I didn't realize you were a closet romantic! That's so adorable!"

Hitsugaya could feel the vein popping on his forehead and his anger starting to bubble to the surface. This woman….

-----------

Ichigo stepped forward towards Orihime, greeting her with a soft kiss and a small smile.

"Sorry for stopping by so late. But I wanted to talk to you."

"It's alright. Come on in."

As Orihime toddled around the kitchen making some green tea, Ichigo settled himself at the small table placed in the middle of the room. He placed both hands on top of the table and stared down at them. How should he go about this? Should he just be direct and ask her? No, that would be too blunt but it could get things done quicker. He didn't really know how to beat about the bush anyways. It would be best to just tell her how he knew and then …

His train of thought was broken when Orihime placed a cup of tea in front of him and sat down next to him. She gave him a smile as he mumbled his thanks and took a sip of the tea. He noted that her smile lacked the sunshine brightness that it usually held.

"What was it that you wanted to talk to me about Ichi-kun?"

Ichigo placed the cup back on the table, staring down at the small tea stalk that was standing up in the liquid. He turned towards Orihime and took her hand in his, his eyes locked onto hers. He took a deep breath before starting.

"I heard about what Urahara asked you to do."

Her smile faltered as his words, her expression becoming stricken as she stumbled over her words, "B-But, how did you…who, who told you?"

"The big guy, Hacchi"

_I wish I could fly as angels can fly. I wish..._

-------------

"_Inoue-san, she told me that she was asked to stay away from the battlefield this coming winter by Ureihana-san."_

"_That's Urahara. Why would he say that?! Her healing powers've saved my life and others more times than I can remember. Sure, she's not suited for fighting but she can help in healing the injured."_

"_Apparently she was told that she would not be needed and would be replaced by more superior people." _

"_That bastard! Next time I see that sandal-and-hat wearing bastard he's not going to live to see the next sunrise!"_

"_Er, don't you think it would be best if Inoue-san stays out of battle?"_

"_I don't want her anywhere near battle! If I had my way, I'd send Orihime out of town a few days before the fighting started. I just…I don't want her getting hurt. But the point is that there were better ways to go about telling her! For being so smart, that guy sure can be dumb."_

"_In any case, I thought it would be best that you should know."_

"_Yeah…I appreciate it. Thanks."_

-----------

"Oh. I see."

"You should have told me when Hiyori brought you to the factory."

His soft reprimand had her lower lip quiver as she tried not to let tears form in her eyes. Her gaze darted up to meet his soft one before falling back down to her hands trapped between his, her words were soft, "I didn't want to bother Ichi-kun. You were so focused on your training I didn't think that I should distract you with my problems…" She blinked as a thought suddenly occurred to her and looked up at him, "How did you manage to leave?"

His expression shifted to one of annoyance, "I had to pester Hiyori to let me go for the night. Well actually I had asked for an hour or two but then Hacchi went and said something to her and she ended up saying that I got the night off. I gotta thank him when I see him tomorrow."

He cupped her cheek with his hand and pressed his forehead against hers. His voice filled with gentle censure as he spoke to her, "You really should have told me." His voice holding a slight hint of playfulness as he continued, "You can distract me any time of day."

She smiled weakly at him. Her voice was meek as she disclosed, "I didn't want to be a burden."

Slight anger crept into his voice and in his eyes, "You will _never_ be a burden to me! Don't ever say that Hime! You are _not_ a burden, you've_never_ been that. Don't go believing what Urahara said."

She looked up at him, a sudden hope flowing into her. He would surely take her side and say that she could fight. He would ask her to stand by his side during the fighting or at the very least ask her to help the Fourth Squad with the injured. Instead, his next words had her heart plummeting like a shot bird through the sky. He ran a hand through his hair nervously, his gaze shifting to stare at the far wall as his voice lost its angry edge and became quiet once more.

"But I think he's right on the point that you shouldn't be on the battlefield. I know usually I wouldn't give that much of a damn about what he says but…I agree with him on this."

Her throat felt dry as she could feel tears building up. She could barely get the words out of her throat, "Why? I thought that you…of all people…would…"

"I don't want you to get hurt. This'll be much more different than any of our previous battles. This won't be like the time when we went up against Soul Society. This is ten times worse than that because these Arrancar and Espada don't even know the meaning of the word mercy."

His fingers stroked the smooth skin of her hands as he continued, "I barely managed to make it through when Yammy injured you. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you. We were lucky that all he did was hit you once. It's going to be an all-out war in winter. And people die in wars and God knows how many people may end up dying in the end. That's why…"

His grip on her hands tightened, his gaze earnest. "That's why I don't want you there. It's not because you're a burden or that you're not capable enough. Its because you are too important to me. I don't want to lose you. It's as simple as that. I just…I can't loose you."

He poured out his feelings as best as he could. Everyone around him knew that words were not exactly his forte. He was the kind of person who let his actions do the talking for him. But right here, right now, he knew that it was only through words he could reach her and try to make her understand. He could have kissed her, could have caressed her skin, given her pleasure but….that wouldn't have made her comprehend his feelings.

_I think I...I think I...I think I love her_

He gazed into her clear grey eyes shimmering with unshed tears and it was then that he just knew. He had been questioning the depth of his feelings for many a week and right then as he gazed into those clear grey eyes, shimmering with unshed tears he had his answer. He raised both hands to her face and brushed his thumb pads gently against her cheeks. "Inoue Orihime…I love you. And I can't loose you."

She could feel her throat closing up at his softly spoken words. They were the words that she had yearned to hear for so, so long. But it was his eyes that made the tears fall. His eyes were unguarded, filled with love and tenderness. It was like she was peering into his very soul at that moment and she understood. And yet those gentle eyes were so different from the stubborn, determined, passion-filled ones that she was so used to seeing. These eyes, they made her heart ache with every thump and filled her with an entirely new feeling of warmth.

She kissed him, filled with joy and happiness like she had never known before. She raised a shaky hand up to his face. Trembling fingers tracing his features as she brokenly replied against his lips, "I've waited…so long to hear those words…Ichigo." She took in a breath, trying to get some control over her breathing. Her next words were a whisper that brushed teasingly against his wet lips. "I love you too. I have for such a long time…"

She didn't fight against the hard kiss he gave her, or when he pushed her down to the hard floor as his tongue clashed against hers in overwhelming joy. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer against her. Her thoughts were messed up, jumbled together in incoherent phrases as his hands reacquainted themselves with her body after a month's absence. The only lucid thought floating around in her head, which he kept whispering into her skin, was that he loved her. The only coherent phrase that kept falling from her lips was that she loved him as well.

They barely noticed that in between kisses they had somehow shifted to her bedroom and were now standing beside her bed. Without breaking contact between their lips, she pushed his dark jacket off his shoulders, which was followed by his white button down shirt and black undershirt. His hands intertwined with hers as together they removed her short sleeved shirt and for a moment, they both stood there. Gazing at each other, knowing that they were standing at the brink of something new, that was both the known and the unknown.

Ichigo stared at the young woman he was holding in the circle of his arms and dimly noticed that they were inches away from her bed. The same bed on which they had, on many occasions, learnt from each other the finer aspects of sexual pleasures. Yet, right now, this felt like completely uncharted territory. He wanted to be with her, he wanted to make love to her but…did she really want to right now? Maybe the rough day that she had had was influencing her decision right now…

She wanted to be as close to him as was physically possible between a man and a woman. Life was short enough as it was without adding in the additional factors of Hollows, Espada's and Aizen. She wanted this…She needed this. She could make out the slight reservation in his eyes. Orihime answered by taking his hand and placing it over her racing her heart. Her eyes held no uncertainty, only unadulterated love as she looked into his eyes, _Make me yours, Ichigo._

_Want to get myself back in again_

_The soft dive of oblivion  
I want to taste the salt of your skin  
The soft dive of oblivion, oblivion_

He slowly raised his hand to her face, his fingers reverently caressing the stray strands of hair that had fallen out of the grip of her ever present hairpins. He twirled some of the hair around his finger and tugged her closer towards him. His thumb brushed over the silky tresses as he gave her a short, hard kiss that left her clinging to his shoulders for more. She let out a soft whine as he kept darting away from her further attempts to continue their kiss. He let out a husky chuckle that made her feel that her insides had suddenly melted, "Patience Hime."

He shifted to stand behind her, his eyes locked on the clasp of her bra. He outlined the fabric with a light touch, his fingers lightly brushing over her soft skin. Her body shivered and she was about to turn towards him when he quickly grasped her hips and forced her to stay in front of him. He peppered kisses up and down her shoulder and neck, his fingers making quick work of the clasp and shifting upwards to rest on her shoulders. One hand came to the front and traced the small red strawberries etched on the cloth as he lowered his head. His voice was husky and his breath hot in her ear, "Very cute Hime." She blushed slightly as she whispered back in a drowsy, low voice, "I bought them while thinking of you."

His mouth attached itself to her lobe, gently suckling at the muscle as his fingers traced invisible patterns over her creamy skin, slowly slipping under the elastic straps and pulling them down her shoulders. She let her arms dangle, letting the white and red scrap of fabric drop to the floor, and then raised her arms to rest them at the back of his neck as he rested his head on her shoulder.

He gazed down at her torso and the inches of smooth, silky skin that reflected the faint light coming in from the window. Her slender neck was tilted slightly to the left, her full pale breasts with deep pink points that jutted out, pleaded for his attention and further down to her gently rounded stomach where his hands were currently resting peacefully. She was a vision. Not perfection but still pretty damn close to it.

He turned her around slowly and relished the feeling of her skin against his. A month had been far too long a time to spend away from her. He committed to memory the feel of her round curves against his sharp angles as she pushed him down to the bed and straddled his lap, pressing up against him as though he was fire and she was seeking refuge from the cold.

He wrapped his arms around her as he fell back fully on the bed, her hair falling around their heads like a curtain of silk that separated them from the rest of the world. He cracked open his eyes slightly, taking in the sight of his love as she kissed him over and over again. She really was a goddess. His goddess. His. That thought sent a shot of possessiveness through him and his grip on her tightened, crashing her hips down against his. She broke off away from his lips to let out a heady moan, her head falling forward onto his shoulder as they rubbed against each other. He nibbled at her earlobe, earning himself a sound that sounded a mix between a giggle and a gasp before moving lower to her neck and bit down on her pulse point.

His hands were drifting in circles on her full breasts not cupping them and not pressing against her hardening coral buds. She let out a sigh when he finally cupped both breasts in his hands and his thumb pads brushed over her hardened jewels. She whimpered into his touch, "Ichigo…."

Her hands tangled in his hair as his head ducked down, her breath short with anticipation as his lips hovered above her peaks. He softly blew a short breath over one of the nipples and watched her breasts heave with her whimper. She let out a drawn out moan when the warmth of his lips and tongue finally connected with one of her pleasure points. She ran her hand through his short spiky hair, her eyes glazed over with desire. He opened his eyes and gazed right up into hers.

She was watching him. His hand gave the second peak a firm roll between his fingers that had her closing her eyes and grind against his arousal with a moan. With a quick economy of motion, he had her lying on the bed with his lips worshipping her breasts while she clutched tightly at his head. With slight regret he shifted downwards, leaving the twin points wet and her aching for more. He placed gentle kisses over her stomach, smiling as she giggled at the ticklish feeling. His fingers came across the drawstring of her sweatpants and slowly he unknotted them and drew the material off her long legs. He stared at her underwear with slight amusement. Her panties also had small red strawberries printed on them.

_She's a natural law, and she leaves me in awe  
She deserves the applause, I surrender because  
she used to look good to me, but now I find her simply irresistible_

He let his fingers slide underneath the elastic teasingly as he kissed her, their tongues raking against each other with an undercurrent of eagerness. A small string of saliva connected their lips as they broke apart and Orihime wiped it away with a quick swipe of her tongue before she dropped her gaze downwards of his covered hips. He moved back slightly, giving her room to move her hands down to his white pants. There was one thing Ichigo had realized in the previous months of growing intimacy with Orihime. She loved to tease him much in the same manner as he liked to tease her.

Just like she was doing right now. She traced his erection through the material, her touch light and fleeting before drifting down slightly to stroke at his inner thigh. He groaned slightly, "Orihime…." She gave him a smile filled with innocent carnality, if such a thing were possible as her hand pressed fully against him. He barely kept a low hiss of pleasure at bay as she slid the zipper of his pants down, her hands brushing against his need in teasing touches that he wasn't sure were intentional or not. Her lips were busy lavishing wet kisses up and down his neck while her hands tried to push the barrier of his pants away. He chucked the pants off quickly and helped her to take his boxers off, leaving him completely bare before her.

While they had seen each other nude before and were comfortable with seeing each other in that manner, this time there was a different kind of nervousness flowing through them. Yet he never felt more comfortable in his life. His eyes almost rolled back at the feeling of her soft fingers curling around his girth. A month really had been too much time spent away from her, he thought to him as her small hand moved over him. She knew just what to drive him mad. He had his eyes closed against the assault of pleasure, his hips thrusting into her hand and his mouth pressed against her hot one. He placed a hand over hers suddenly, stopping her motions. She pulled away to look at him quizzically before letting out a surprised moan as he pushed his bare hips against her, his length pressing fully against her heat through the wet cotton.

It was an amazingly thrilling feeling, the feel of him pressing intimately against hers. A small part of Orihime felt proud that it was because of her he was so aroused and another part of her couldn't still believe that this was happened. This feeling of light headedness, these overwhelming feelings of pleasure coursing through her…it felt more like a dream than a reality and she was afraid that any moment now her eyes would open and she would be staring up at the ceiling just minutes before her alarm clock would go off. But that didn't happen.

Ichigo let his hand drift downward, the full length of his palm cupping her center through the damp material. Her hips arched off the bed and further into his hands with a whine. The fabric was soaked through and he could smell her heady scent all the way up. His fingers found her hidden spot through the fabric and gently pressed against it. Her mouth fell open but no sound came out as he continued his tender assault. Her hips moved against his hand, the center panel of her panties became wetter and the air around them was now heavy with her scent. She was chanting his name like a prayer, over and over again in her melodious voice as she cried out her pleasure to the heavens.

Desire was running rampant throughout his system, making his breathing difficult and his ability to formulate coherent thought was almost nearly gone. He pulled off the last barrier of clothing between them and suddenly, a shot of nervousness went through him. He knew that what would happen next was going to hurt her and there was no way to avoid that. But still….he wanted to keep the pain minimum for her. He wanted to please her. He wanted to make her experience such pleasure that she would forget everything but him. He wanted to make sure that she felt as little pain as possible. He wanted her to scream his name to the high heavens until her voice failed her.

He shifted himself in between her thighs, his lips intent to worship her center and her body shivered in the expectation of his touch. She writhed underneath his lips and fingers, her hips arching off the bed and into his face as she moaned with every tender ministration he inflicted on her. Her hands were clutching painfully hard at his shoulders as he lovingly teased her entrance. Her head was tossing and turning on the dark sheets beneath her as he took her round the bend, her body shaking due to the force of her release.

As her shivering subsided, he moved to her entrance, positioning himself at the base of her heat and he waited. She opened her eyes lazily, raising her hands to caress his face as they gazed at each other for a long, electric moment. It was like she was breathing through a thick fog and she was very aware of the feeling of her heart beating away underneath her skin. One hand drifted down to rest over his and she could feel his heart, pumping away hard and fast in a beat similar to her own.

_Never have I ever made love before. Never have I wanted to till now.  
Lover, can't you see I want you more and more. Take me baby, yeah...I'm yours._

Her fingers traced his eyebrows, the slight upturn of his lips and his angular nose. His brown eyes were infinitely gentle as they gazed down at her. _Are you sure?_

She opened herself further, pressing herself lightly against him. _I am._

Her hands clenched the sheets tightly as inch by excruciating inch he slid into her. Pleasure and pain warred in her as his clever fingers distracted her from the pain. She bit her lip to keep from crying out. She had known that it would hurt, the feeling of her virgin walls being stretched ached and burned at the same time. She arched up into him as he slipped his fingers against her hidden nub, moving forward the final inch to be fully seated in her.

He girt his teeth, his face buried in the curve of her shoulder as he savored the feeling of her scorching heat surrounding him. He couldn't help but let out a groan against her skin as her inner muscles fluttered around him and fought the urge to just pound away into her. She felt _so_ fucking _good._ He suddenly felt a trail of wetness against his cheek and raised his head to look at her. Panic hit him like a truck when he saw the tear trails running down her face.

"Hime…"

He was settled fully into her. She had taken in all of him and they were now one. He was much as a part of her as she was of him. Unbidden, tears sprang up behind her eye lids and fell down as she relished the feeling of him being so close to her. She opened her eyes and looked at him when he anxiously called her name. Her eyes filled unabashed love as she choked out, "I love you Ichigo."

Panic subsiding, he kissed away the tear trails. "I love you too, Orihime."

Slowly he began to move inside of her, trying to keep his passion in check. He was melting in her heat, his body trembling with every movement as he reveled in the feeling of her love that surrounded them like a warm blanket. Her shapely body shifted and contracted around him. Pain gave way to pleasure soon enough and she was clinging to his back, her hips moving back against his. She raked her nails down her back with a moan and he grunted softly at the mixed pleasure and pain.

Ichigo could sense the beginning of her orgasm as small tremors started to run throughout her body and he increased his pace, eager to approach the end with her. A fine sheen of sweat covered their bodies as their rhythm increased. She clung to him, as she turned his name into broken moans of ecstasy as he urged her to climax with him, around him.

"Ichi...go…Oh God…Ich-Ichi..go…"

He could feel his own release speeding towards him. He pressed his forehead against hers and groaned, "Orihime!"

She shattered in release and he followed, both of them crying out their pleasure. Their love expressed, their passion realized, the feelings that had been building for the past months finally released in one moment of perfect bliss. His arms were trembling as he hovered over her, their ragged breaths intermingling as they remained locked, unwilling to let go of each other.

His arms finally gave way and he tumbled into her soft warmth, his lips tasting the salty sweat that covered her body. Her fingers were tangled almost painfully in his hair as he lay over her and listened to her fast beating heart. Slowly, the beat slowed down to normal and he realized that the sound was lulling him to sleep. He pulled out from and rolled them over in a bid to get into a more comfortable sleeping position. She settled herself against his side, resting her head on his shoulder as his arm pressed her against him.

She pressed a kiss against his neck, too tired to raise herself any further. His hand stroked the soft skin of her waist in reply, both of them smiling. He watched her as her breathing slowed and she drifted off to sleep. And lulled by the sound of her gentle breathing, he followed her.

_Here's to the nights we felt alive  
Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry  
Here's to goodbye  
Tomorrow's gonna come too soon_

* * *

**Note: Seeing a tea stalk upright in your tea is supposed to be a good sign.**

**Well there you have it….after five chapters of beating about the bush, I give you the actual act. I'm surprised I was able to do that! I love the last lyrics _'Here's to the Night' by Eve9_ and I put them in the end because i think they most accurately reflect just whats happened and whats gonna happen next.**

**So….was it good for you too? Drop me a review and tell me.**


	7. Part VII

**I wrote a good part of this chapter originally as a random drabble, way before 'The Princess and the Protector' started tap dancing around in my head. What a way for things to be…I was quite pleased to be honest.**

**To all who reviewed…I'm started to get a swelled head you guys…but please don't stop on my account. -grins-**

**Lyrics by Garbage, Third Eye Blind, Phil Collins, Trademark and****Lisa Angelle**

* * *

**Part VII**

_She wasn't all too sure what made her wake up but still she opened her eyes slowly. Her eyes took in the lack of light and concluded that it was still night. Her gaze drifted to the clock sitting on the bedside table, the green numbers glowing at her. It had been almost four hours since Toushirou-kun and Rangiku-san had left. She wondered if they were back yet. _

_Her gaze drifted down to the floor and she wondered briefly at the scattered clothes. She usually didn't leave them on the floor…and she didn't recall having a jacket like that…A sigh behind her made her freeze before she slowly turned around. The memory of their love making crept into her mind through the fog as she smiled fondly at the picture before her._

_Ichigo was lying face down on the bed, his sleeping face filled with a peace that was never present during the day. She giggled slightly as she noticed that even in his sleep, his brows were slightly furrowed. She brushed a hand over his forehead, watching him as the furrows disappeared under her touch and he sighed yet again. Blearily he opened his eyes, looking straight into her grey eyes. A slight blush came to both their faces as they stared at each other. Her hand came down to rest on his cheek as they both wondered what to say to get rid of this slightly awkward silence._

_His hand was resting on her hip under the sheets, slowly stroking the skin as he asked softly, "How do you feel?"_

_Her flush deepened, as she admitted softly with a smile, "A little sore. But…happy." _

_He shifted slightly, now lying on his side as he asked with a hint of nervousness clouding his voice, "You don't…regret it…do you?"_

_She shook her head, the light bouncing off her hairpins, "No. Do…do you?"_

"_Hell no."_

_She giggled slightly as he gazed over her head and at the clock. He turned his regretful gaze over at her. "I should go. Before Hiyori decides to track me down." Her hands rested over the warm space that he had occupied as he slipped out of bed and began to dress. She let her head drop down on the pillow and she inhaled deeply. She smiled into the pillow, it smelled a bit like him now. She sat up in bed, pulling the sheets up to cover herself as he came round to her side. He held his jacket in his arms as he sat down beside her, giving her a sweet kiss. _

"_I'll try coming again soon."_

_She tugged slightly at his shirt sleeve, "Ah actually, I meant to tell you something…"_

_He waited for her to continue, "I'll be going with Kuchiki-san to Soul Society."_

_Surprise filled his eyes, "What for?"_

"_To get train. So that I can get stronger."_

"_Hime…"_

_Heaven knows what a girl can do__  
__Heaven knows what you've got to prove_

_He wanted to convince her to not go, to stay here or better yet, to leave town rather than prepare for the upcoming war. He didn't want her hands to be stained with blood. They were far too delicate to wield any weapon. They were healing hands, not fighting ones. He would willingly stain his hands for her sake. He would dye himself in blood but he wouldn't let even one drop of it fall on her clear white soul._

_But as he saw the determination and resolve shine through her eyes, he sighed in defeat. Seemed like there was no talking her out of this. He placed a hand on her head, "Can't be helped then. Tell Rukia to take care of you, or else I'm going to make her regret it."_

_Her eyes lit up as she let out a small squeal of delight and hugged him. They held each other for a moment, their joy sobering up as reality slowly started to seep back into their private bubble. Both of them wished that he didn't have to go. That they didn't have larger responsibilities and that they could just be regular teenagers in love. _

_She tightly fisted her fingers into his shirt as she whispered, "Please be safe."_

_His hands pulled her closer to him, his hands both hot and reassuring against her back, "You too."_

------------------

Ichigo was twisting and turning underneath the blankets as memories of that night played out through his mind. He sat up in bed with a jerk and ended up falling out of bed and on the floor, right on his head.

He groaned at the pain. That was terrific. What was he…five that he fell out bed in his sleep? He raised his hand to his head, rubbed the sore spot on his head before pausing. Oh man he was definitely going to have a headache thanks to this bump. Wait a minute….

He took off the bandages quickly and was shocked to find his injuries gone. He flexed his hand, closing it into a fist before re-opening it. Thoroughly confused he stared down at the unmarred skin where he knew that Grimmjow had impaled him with his sword. This was impossible…unless….

He raised his hand up to his face and concentrated.

"This reiatsu…."

"Inoue Orihime's…most likely."

He stared up at in window, looking straight at the 10th squad Captain as he stood on the windowsill. "We've got an emergency situation Kurosaki. I suggest you hurry."

Any question that Ichigo asked of the Captain was met with silence and Ichigo was starting to get irritated. What the hell was going on? What the hell was the big emergency? And why heck were they heading over to Orihime's house? What the _hell_ was going on?!

_I try to swim beneath  
I try to keep awake __  
__but I, I can feel this narcolepsy slide  
into another nightmare_

In the next fifteen minutes, Ichigo felt as though his world had come crashing down around him. It was like the time he was fighting to regain his Shinigami powers and had almost become a Hollow. But this was worse…far more worse. Because this time, he wasn't able to do anything. Not one God damn thing…Orihime had been taken away by the Arrancar. She couldn't have betrayed them. It just wasn't possible.The very thought was laughable actually and he would have laughed were it not for the fact that she was no longer there to laugh along side him.

Other than the slight humming coming from the large screen, there was complete and utter silence in the room. Both Rukia and Renji looked defeated down at the floor, neither of them wanting to go back to Soul Society but knowing that they had to follow orders. Zaraki and Byakuya waited for the other Shinigami to come with them.

Ichigo's gaze was resting on the floor, his hands clenched tightly at his side. "I understand." He spoke up, "I won't ask Soul Society for any help. But, can you at least tell me how to get into Heuco Mundo?"

He turned back towards the screen, looking at the General Commander as he spoke, "I'll go save Orihime on my own. I promised her that." Both Rukia and Renji stared at him, the former saying his name out loud in slight amazement. But he was gazing at Yamamoto, his eyebrows furrowed and his gaze determined, his stance screaming his resolve. But it faltered at the loud and sharp "No." from Yamamoto.

Disbelievingly Ichigo asked slowly, "What?!"

Yamamoto replied back in his aged voice, "We will need your strength in the upcoming battle. I won't allow you to act foolishly on your own and die like a dog. Wait until you receive orders. That is all."

_And the darkness that surrounds you makes you feel so small_

Ichigo's hands closed into fists, so tight that he could feel his nails digging into the flesh of his palm. A thousand insults and replies swirling around in his head and danced at the tip of his tongue, itching to be said out loud. He stared at the black screen speckled with static as his mind trying to wrap around what had just happened. He barely noticed the others leaving and Rukia's apology fell on deaf ears as he stood there, anger and desperation warring inside of him.

Damn that old man Yamamoto! He thought to himself. Who the hell was he to tell him not to do anything?! Act foolishly and die like a dog eh? He was more than willing to give up his life for her. After all, he had promised to protect her. He had promised her God damn it! He had fucking sworn that right in front of her and he had seen it in her eyes that she really and truly believed it when he had said that. What kind of a man was he when he had let her get taken away from him?!

He had told himself that he wouldn't let her get hurt again, not after what had happened with Yammy. More than anything and from all the people he knew, she was the one he wanted to protect to most. He wanted to protect that innocence that she exuded, that sunny smile that was forever present on her lips and that spirit that never seemed to be dampened by any thing. She was his home…Every time she held him it had felt like he was back home again.

_If flesh could crawl my skin would fall from off my bones and run away from here__  
__as far from God, as heaven is wide, as far from God, as angels can fly_

Memories of all the times, the incidents, all the conversations they had had together came rushing forward and crashed together in his mind. He could almost see the ghost of her running across the room and jump into his waiting arms as she cheerfully told him that she had prepared lunch for them. He could hear her chiming laugh echo in the empty room as he tickled her pink. He could see her eyes as they gazed up at him from across the table and notebooks scattered across it. He could hear her footsteps as she bustled around in the kitchen making brownies to satisfy his sweet tooth. She was haunting him…

Orihime….He had let her down…_again_. He could still see those large, bright grey eyes looking up at him with amazement when he had confessed to her. He could almost feel the ghost of her fingertips dance over his face. He could still hear her moans and cries of rapture from the night they had made love. They seemed to echo all around him. His eyes fell on the bedroom door and he slowly entered, hovering beside the bed. His hands were trembling as he gazed down at the rumpled sheets…

_What drives you on can drive you mad_

He stared at her possessions that surrounded him and he half expected her to burst through the nearby door proclaiming that she was late because she got abducted by aliens who had demanded her spleen for their dinner. But no Orihime came with her bubbly smile. She was well and truly….gone. With a heavy heart he returned back home, re entered his body and wished for the day to end already, though it had barely started.

Yamamoto's orders rang inside his head, Inoue's smile flashed before his eyes. He couldn't believe the insinuations that Yamamoto had made against Inoue. As he thought about them again, anger filled him. What did that old geezer know? He didn't Orihime so what right did he have to may such stupid ass accusations against her?! She wouldn't ever betray them, she would sooner die than do that. Hell, she wouldn't even raise her hand at a fly and that he knew from personal experience! It was insulting to her to insinuate that she would willingly betray her friends… It was nothing short of stupidity in his mind.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't even blink an eye when his father crashed through the door, taking the door down with him in his morning greeting. He didn't even notice when Yuzu came in at the sound of the ruckus and found her father staring at her stoic brother in surprise. Dragging her father out with her, Yuzu cheerily asked him to come down for breakfast. He spent the rest of the day in a daze, barely noticing the murmurings going on around him as he walked down the halls. He didn't want to be here, pretending that everything was normal in his life when it was anything but that. The sight of her empty seat upset him far worse than the time when Rukia had to leave.

And he had not been the only one upset at Orihime's disappearance as he was confronted by Tatsuki. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice had been warning him not to push her buttons, not today. But a large part of him relished the pain as her fist connected solidly with his jaw and he crashed backwards into the window. A small part of him felt that he deserved the punch and a more severe beating for letting down Inoue Orihime, a girl who had never asked much from life. He winced as he felt the bruise and flinched inwardly at Tatsuki's words. He never expected that she would have seen him in his Shinigami. But enough was enough…none of his friends were going to get hurt anyone. Not any more.

He had to break off his friendships with those people who didn't know about his Shinigami duties. It was the best way for them to avoid getting caught in the cross fire. So he brushed them off, coolly telling them to stop associating with him. It for the best, he told himself, even if they never fully realized his exact reasons for cutting them out of his life. But in the long run, he didn't think it was that important that they knew his reasons just so long as they were safe and unharmed. That was all that mattered.

The anger that had been bubbling inside of him since morning had ebbed away, being replaced by a dark, heavy feeling of melancholy. Arriving home, he fell face down on his bed as he stared out the window. It was too God damned sunny and cheerful. What was the hell was wrong with the world? Didn't they realize that Orihime was no longer present among them? It ought to be raining...not so fucking cheerful and bright. Twisting around to lay on his back, he stared up at his hand that he knew Orihime had healed before she left.

It just didn't make any sense…If she had been taken away by the Arrancar then when did she heal him? When did the Arrancar contact her anyways…maybe after she came back here? If she had been kidnapped then why let her heal him? He placed his hand over his eyes with a deep sigh. Everything pointed to the fact that she went willingly but…he knew her. She would _never_ have gone willingly. So then…what the hell had happened? He stared out at the sky, Orihime….

He drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

---------------

_Here comes the cold again, I feel it closing in  
It's falling down and all around me, falling_

She had sat down in the small patch of moonlight that came filtering in through the bars of the high window after Ulqiuorra had left her new room. That had been quite a while ago, though she wasn't exactly sure of how long ago that was. Though the feeling of creeping numbness in her legs was an indication that she had been sitting there for quite a while now. Ignoring the feeling, she stared up at the incandescent moon that rested high over the rolling desert of Hueco Mundo and wondered and worried.

She wondered if Toushirou-kun and Rangiku-san had found the note that she had written. She wondered if Tatsuki-chan had noticed that she had gone and wondered if anyone else had noticed that she had disappeared. And by anyone else she specifically wondered if Ichigo had realized that she had gone missing. And she worried over his reaction….he would likely be angry and would be feeling betrayed.

No! She couldn't think like that! Ichigo would know that she wouldn't willingly come to Hueco Mundo. She worried that after finding out; he would come to save her or at the very least come to get some answers. As much as she liked the idea of comparing Ichigo with a knight and herself as a princess locked away in a tower by an evil wizard (known throughout Soul Society as Souske Aizen), the very idea of him coming to save her, sent a shiver of fear creep down her spine. For as much as she liked the idea of him coming to save her, she didn't want him to risk his life to save her when she had given up her freedom for his life. It would make her sacrifice worthless if he ended up dying anyways while saving her.

Tearing her eyes away from the moon, she sighed softly as she stood up and made her way over to the large couch, limping slightly due to her numbed legs. She pressed her hand on the sofa, trying to judge how comfortable it was. It was a little too hard but what other choice did she have. At least the pillows were quite soft. Gingerly she lay down on her side, one arm under her head in an attempt to get more comfortable. The feeling of pins and needles ran up and down her legs as the blood began to flow through them again and she tried not to move her legs too much in an attempt to lessen the slight pain.

Her eyes felt heavy with sleep, weariness seeping into her bones yet her mind felt more awake than it had in days. She knew that she should get some sleep yet every time she closed her eyes, she would see Luppi's body as it fell to the ground and she could still hear Grimmjow's crazed laughter ring in her ear. A wave of nausea passed through her and she quickly shook her head and tried to think about something else. Anything else.

She wondered what her friends were doing right now. She sighed as she plucked at the cuff of her sweater. She never thought that she would, but she missed school. She would much rather be in Maths class right now than stuck here. She would be gazing out the window at the leaves as they would sway with the wind, or maybe she would be counting how many birds came and sat in a tree during one class. Or she might be staring away at the bright orange head that sat a few seats away from her. Longing swept through her as she thought of her lover, sleep edging into the corner of her eyes as her body caught up with her mind. Ichigo….

_Miles away I miss you  
And all the love that you gave to me__  
__Time goes by without you  
I still dream about you _

-----------------

_The sheets were slipping and sliding between their moving bodies. Faint light illuminated the bodies as they twisted and turned together. His bright tangerine hair contrasted sharply with deep red sheets upon which he was resting. His hands were traveling restlessly all over the woman straddling him, never resting in one place for too long. They moved over the round of her hips, the sharp curve of her waist and the lush fullness of her chest before traversing the path all over again. _

_Her rhythm faltered slightly every time his hands would come up to her pale globes and brush lightly against her hardened peaks. Her head fell to her shoulder when he thrust up into her, raising both of them up from the bed. She gazed down at him with half open grey eyes, enjoying every moment of their coveted time together. He stared back at her as they moved together, watching with heated eyes as she let one hand slip down to where they were joined. Slowly her slender fingers crept down into the shadows, lust filled eyes following their path carefully. _

_Her whimpers grew in frequency and sound as his hand joined hers in pleasing her. She was smiling as she rocked into him and his hand, enjoying this dance fueled by desire and characterized by an insanity that they both relished. She bent down over him, her hips continuing their maddening dance as she kissed him fervently. She broke away to pant his name into his ear before she crashed around him. Her body clenching around him tightly, her fingernails digging into his shoulders, she shattered around him ._

_He flipped them over, keeping their bodies joined. He waited for her to come back down from her high before he increased both his speed and force. While her love making had been slow and leisurely, his pace was harder. Still breathless from her last orgasm, she couldn't even formulate his name now. He could only hear sharp gasps in his ear as he took her. She was trembling and he could feel her spasm throughout his entire body. She was close. _

_He slipped his hands down her legs, raising them up and urging her to lock them around his waist. She happily complied, granting him a better angle to slip into her welcoming core. Only her upper body now rested on the red sheets and he relished the sight of her sweat covered body writhing beneath him. Her hands were clutching at the bed sheets, running up and down his arms, tracing his shoulders. Her touch left a burning sensation in its wake and his passion burned at a fever pitch. She managed to moan out his name in her musical voice, her face turned to the side and buried in her auburn hair._

_Tears of pleasure rolled down her flushed face, a soft sob falling from her lips that vaguely resembled his given name. She cried out to him, begging him to stop, begging him to make her his, pleaded with him to never stop and to go harder. She cried out to God, again and again, expressing her pleasure in jumbled words and phrases. He returned them with words of devotion and love but they were just as broken as her words._

_He pulled her up into his arms, his hands on her hips as he guided her down on him. Her pace this time was desperate, both their breath short and her nails leaving marks on his shoulders as she held on tightly. He took her hand and guided her down their bodies purposely. She bit down on his neck as their conjoined fingers brushed against her nether regions. He pushed her hand further down, making her feel the point of their joining. Her moan reverberated through out his body. This time when she came, she turned his name into a long wail and he could only groan her name against her ear. Sweat matted their foreheads as they fell together amidst the hopelessly tangled sheets. Breathlessly they looked at each other and smiled._

_He brushed away her sweaty bangs from her face and fixed his eyes on hers._

"_Wait for me. I might be late but I'll come for you."_

"_I'll be waiting."_

-----------------------

Ichigo stood in front of the dark void that Urahara had opened in front of him, Ishida and Chad. He closed his eyes for a moment before he stared into the abyss. But his heart did not shake even the slightest at the darkness before them. As the trio jumped into the portal and started their journey towards Hueco Mundo, Ichigo repeated the words of his dreams inside his mind. Wait for me Orihime. I'm coming.

In Las Noches, Orihime lay on the large sofa and stared out into the inky sky of Hueco Mundo and seemingly answered him. I'm waiting for you Ichigo.

_For all my life and forever  
There's a truth I'll always know__  
__When my world divides and shatters  
Your love is where I'll go_

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Alas….only one more part left. As sad as this chapter was, I think I like this one best. Be a dear and leave a review? 


	8. Part VIII

**Lyrics by Elvis Presley, Good Charlotte and Edwin Mc Cain **

* * *

**Part VIII**

_Hold your warm and tender body close to mine  
Hear the whisper of the raindrops fallin' soft against the window_

Rain pattered against the window as dark clouds rolled overhead, lightening blazing across the skies from time to time, throwing their light momentarily at Orihime as her husband hovered over her and watched her sleep.

Ichigo had returned scant minutes ago after taking care of a Hollow and had crept back into their room as quietly as he could without waking her. She had woken up when his Shinigami license had blared out its usual noise and had sleepily stated that next time she met Ukitake-san she would ask if it were possible to get a softer alarm. She snuggled back into her pillow as he pressed a kiss on her forehead and left out the window.

She was lying on her side, one hand half curled up under her chin and the other thrown carelessly over his hips. Her breathing was slow and deep, her hair spread over the pillow like a halo. He lay on his side as well, head propped up on one hand as he watched her dream away. His second hand gently traced her closed eyes, brushing against her long eyelashes as they drifted down to her nose and further down against her parted lips. They lingered over the plump fullness of them before shifting to her neck.

Slowly they traversed downward, coming to rest over her swollen belly. She was nearly four months pregnant now and it showed quite clearly. It was a sight he could never grow tired off. Seeing her beautiful body glowing, her stomach swelled as life grew in her. A life that they had created together…it was a part of him and her inside of her. Ichigo was hoping for a girl but she kept saying that it was going to be a boy. Woman's intuition, or so she said. But he had learnt a long, long time ago just how accurate _that_ was.

His gaze shifted from his hand and its path up to her eyes when she let out a sleepy moan. She half opened her eyes, giving him a small drowsy smile that he returned.

"You're back."

"Did you think I wouldn't be?"

She shook her head into the pillow, curling up against him like a cat as she replied "I just thought you might take longer."

"Oh?"

He found himself distracted by the feel of her smooth legs rubbing against his and her lips that were pressing butterfly kisses against his neck. He brought her up against him and kissed her, reveling in the sweet giggle she let out as he impatiently pulled at the buttons of her shirt. Well technically it was his shirt. She had gotten him a plain black pajama set as a gift a few years back but had staked her claim over the top. He had to admit, it looked much better on her than on him.

Then again, every shirt in his wardrobe looked amazing on her. Especially his button down shirts. She would keep the first two buttons open, so a tantalizing amount of skin was always peeking out for him to caress and worship with his lips and hands. They just barely reached her mid-thighs, giving him an excellent view of her slender legs and the long sleeves covered her hands to the point that only her fingertips peeked out from the sleeves. He always felt a surge of possessive pride run through him whenever she wore his clothes.

Buttons finally undone, he rolled them over and settled himself snuggly in between her thighs. He pulled the shirt open slowly, his lips dropping down to her sensitive peaks, lavishing attention on both of them equally. She sighed softly and rested her hands on the back of his head, urging him onward. Giving the mammary one last lick, he moved further down to the one spot where he always granted the most of his attention.

She always tried to hide the scar but he would never let her. Not in front of him. For him it was proof of just how special she was and it reminded him, every time, to show her and tell her how much she meant to him. On the right side of her torso, there was a pale scar indicating the location where she had been stabbed by Wonderweiss when she was rejecting the Hogyuku into non-existence.

After defeating Nnoitra, Zaraki had wandered off with Yachiru stating that he was going to go "finish this stupid job" while telling Ichigo to "take your woman and get lost already". Ichigo had moved to follow him in the hope of getting some answer regarding his sudden arrival but had stopped when he noticed that Orihime had not moved from her spot.

-----------

"_Hime, We should get outta here."_

"_I can't….there's….there's something that I must do. Only I can do it."_

"_What is it?"_

"_I'm the only one who can get rid of the Hogyuku."_

------------

Ichigo had argued come with her, refusing to let her out of his sights for even a mere second. But she managed to convince him to follow her and he did so, both of them sneaking through the long empty halls of Los Noches. They entered the large room cautiously, wary of any enemies who may pop out but only silence greeted them. She walked over to the center of the room and managed to make the small column rise up from the floor. Ichigo had been faintly impressed as they both gazed down at the small marble shaped ball that had caused so much trouble.

She had hoped, and it was a fools hope honestly speaking, that no one would be guarding the Hoguyku and she had thought so as well. That was until Tousen had stepped into the room from the far shadows. Ichigo had immediately grasped his sword and moved into a fighting stance, tense and ready for battle once more.

As she focused on eradicating the Hogyuku from existence, Ichigo fought with the former captain. She was more intent on the task in front of her rather than the fighting or on who else was present with them. She didn't notice Wonderweiss until she felt the cold steel of his sword pass through her and hot pain flash through her. Her hands went to the wound as the sword was pulled out and blood began to seep out.

Her blood was quickly stained the white of her clothes and the floor beneath her. And her ears felt oddly numb…she could just barely hear Ichigo calling out her name. It sounded as though he was standing far far away from her. She didn't hear the sound of Tousen's Zampaktou falling to the floor from its owner's limp hand or Wonderweiss's last gasp. She could only hear her own heart beat pounding away frantically.

_-----------_

_She couldn't help thinking that being stabbed was arguably one of the more unpleasant experiences of life. She didn't see how Ichigo had managed to get through the pain of getting stabbed all those times. She looked up at the glow of her Souten Kishun, flickering slightly in the dark room. She pressed one hand against her wound, her legs shaking as she tried not to fall down. She held her other hand against the glowing barrier as she concentrated on her task, trying to keep from passing out from the pain of it all. Nausea was rising up in her as her gaze suddenly fell on her crimson fingers._

_Her legs were starting to give way when she felt Ichigo's arms grab her and pull her against him. Slightly dazed she looked up at him and wondered why he looked so worried given that she had almost completed her task. She shook her head, trying to shake away her dizziness as Ichigo spoke, "Forget that damned marble and heal yourself Orihime!"_

_Her voice was weak as she replied, "I'm almost done…"_

_He was feeling antsy as he watched her, letting her use the Souten Kishun on the ever shrinking Hogyuku against his better judgment. He worriedly stared down at the ever growing pool of blood and then at her pale face. She was biting her lip, her eyes closed tightly as she tried to stay awake and not give in to the growing dizziness. _

_He watched in wonder as the Hoguyku seemingly vanished into thin air in a small puff of smoke and an emission of light. Wonder left and panic seized him full force as she fell to her knees, her torso red with blood. Her eyes were barely open, her pupils shifting from side to side as though she was searching for something. They finally rolled to the back of her head and she tipped backwards. _

"_Oh God…Orihime….Hime…Oh God!"He called out to her, despair coloring his voice as his hands were stained by her crimson blood. _

_She whimpered softly, like a child in pain "Ichi…go….."_

"_God Orihime! Why did you do something so stupid?!" He stared up at the two hovering faeries who were slowly growing faint and yelled, "Heal her already damn it!"_

_Ayame was shaking her head slightly, "She can barely stay awake, much less focus on healing herself. Already we're beginning to fade."_

_Beginning to fade? That'd mean…He gazed down at his love, anguish filling him. Oh God…not like this! Please not like this! He gently slapped her cheek and she opened her eyes slightly, letting out a soft moan of pain. He wasn't the kind of person who prayed much but at that moment, he prayed to whatever deity out there to spare her life._

_He pleaded with her, "Hold on…please! For my sake, hold on!"_

"_Love…you…" her words were a whisper that he barely heard._

"_Don't leave me Hime! God damn it, you can't leave me!"_

_Her breathing was getting shallower he noted and her face had become almost chalk white. Why did she focus so damn fucking hard on trying to erase that damned Hogyuku? She couldn't have healed herself first and then go on with that? _

_This wasn't how it was supposed to be damn it! _

"_Kurosaki-san."_

_He looked up in surprise at the gentle voice, staring into the dark eyes of the Fourth Division Captain. She was standing right in front of him, staring down at him as he held Orihime. He couldn't remember her name and he couldn't bring himself to remember. He could only manage to choke out one sentence._

"_Please…save her."_

_I'm fallin', I'm fallin', I'm fallin' down  
Down, down, down_

-------------

Her hand came down to rest over his, giving him silent reassurance. _I'm here. I won't leave you._ He gripped her hand tightly, taking solace in the warmth of her hands and the strength of her grip. There was no person out there to whom he owed a bigger debt than to Unohana Retsu who brought Orihime back to him from the brink of death. Of course the shinigami had waved off his gratitude with a gentle smile, stating that anyone in her position would have done the same. Whether she accepted it or not, Ichigo was incredibly grateful to her.

He kissed the scar tenderly, enjoying the comforting feel of her fingers as they brushed against his face. She pulled him upwards, shivering slightly at the heated feel of his skin brushing against hers. Her slender fingers framed his face as she gazed up at him, her eyes seeming like quicksilver in the dark bedroom as he whispered, "I love you Orihime."

She pressed her nose against his, rubbing it gently as she replied quietly, "I love you too Ichigo." Her lips slowly moved up to press against his. The kiss was sweet and reminded him of the early days of their relationship. His hands pushed the shirt out of the way, making her sit up slightly to push it off her body completely. She moved forward to straddle him, her hands holding his face in her hands as she kissed him. His hands were kneading and caressing her breasts, teasing her buds into hardening points before he took one in his mouth. She let out a soft noise of pleasure and placed one hand on his neck while the other drifted down his naked torso to play with the elastic of his boxers before moving up his back.

He shivered slightly under her familiar heated touch and continued his ministrations on her body. His lips went back up to her neck and suckled at the skin, wanting to leave his mark on her. Her grip on his shoulders went slack momentarily as his fingers slipped into her panties and searched out her hidden nub. His lips were firm but gentle against hers as she moaned into him, her grip tightening to the point he could feel her nails dig into his shoulder.

They both stopped mid-kiss when a soft, hesitant knock came at the door. Resting her hands on his shoulders, Orihime's smile was half-regretful and half-motherly.

"Ka-san?" a soft voice queried from behind the door.

With a similar grin on his face, Ichigo clambered out of bed and padded over to the door as Orihime quickly slipped the shirt back on. She smiled at the little girl curled up in her father's arms while tightly holding onto a white bunny. Orihime opened her arms, gesturing for Ichigo to let her hold their daughter while he got back into the bed. The little girl rested her head against her mother's chest, her small arms holding onto her as tightly as she could as her mother brushed back the bright orange bangs away from her face.

"Did the thunderstorm wake you Airi?"

She nodded shyly as Ichigo slipped under the blankets, her large grey eyes peering up at her mother. "All the noise was scawing me."

Orihime brushed away the hair on her forehead and placed a soft kiss on her brow, "Well you can go to sleep now. Ka-san and Tou-san are here."

Airi turned slightly to look up at Ichigo, seemingly seeking confirmation of her mother's statement. She beamed at her father as he held up the blankets and gestured for her to slip in. Happily she wriggled in, making sure that Chappy was lying right beside her. A particularly large lighting bolt raced across the sky, followed by a large rumble that had the small girl all but leap into her father's rather surprised arms in fright. Amused at the sudden reaction he soothingly placed a hand on her back, rubbing it slowly in an effort to release her tension.

"Tou-san…"

The slight quiver in her soft voice pulled at his heart strings, "Yeah?"

"Would you hold me till the storms over?"

He pressed a kiss in the same spot Orihime had and arranged her in a more comfortable position between himself and Orihime. Seemingly satisfied with her new sleeping arrangement, Airi closed her eyes, her small hand still holding on to Ichigo's fingers. Nothing would harm her while her Ka-san and Tou-san were with her. And resting in between her mothers love and fathers strength, she fell to sleep.

Orihime was running her fingers through her daughter's hair, listening to the pattering of the rain against the window. She still found it a bit awe inspiring that she was a mother now and this little angel before her was her daughter. And that was married with Ichigo. Times like these, it felt a bit surreal to her. She looked up in surprise when she heard a soft snore and smiled, Ichigo had fallen asleep as well. She gazed at him lovingly and then at her daughter, resting her hand over the baby growing in her. She positioned herself behind Airi, and sent out a silent prayer.

_I could not ask for more than this time together  
I could not ask for more than this time with you  
Every prayer has been answered  
Every dream I have's come true  
And right here in this moment is right where I'm meant to be  
Here with you here with me_

**The End**

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**I….I did it. I actually finished it. – blinks in wonder -  
**

**Thanks to all who reviewed and commented and added my story to their favorites. I thank you guys and gals from the bottom of my heart. I truly truly appreciate it!**

**I just had to end at a sappy, happy ending that would be so sweet that it'd make my teeth hurt!**


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